Restructuring the Traditional Suborders in the Order Scleractinia Based on Embryogenetic Morphological Characteristics

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18599
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: Tokyo Keizai University
• Principal Investigator: Okubo Nami 東京経済大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (50401576)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: サンゴ / 亜目 / 発生 / 系統

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The order Scleractinia includes two distinct groups, which are termed “complex” and “robust” as indicated by the molecular phylogeny of mitochondrial 16S ribosomal gene sequences. Since this discovery, coral taxonomists have been seeking morphological characters for grouping this deep division in the order Scleractinia. Recently, morphological characteristics during embryogenesis that facilitate grouping the two clades as “complex” and “robust” were reported, thus clarifying a deep division in the Scleractinia. In the present report, I establish two new suborders, Refertina and Vacatina, on the basis of the embryogenetic morphological characteristics, molecular data, and new observations of Tubastraea coccinea and Cyphastrea serailia embryogenesis. The new suborder Vacatina is composed of the families that fall into the “robust” clade and have an apparent blastocoel.

Free Research Field

サンゴ