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Thick finger coral

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thick finger coral
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Poritidae
Genus: Porites
Species:
P. duerdeni
Binomial name
Porites duerdeni

Porites duerdeni, also called thick or knobby finger coral, is a coral in the family Poritidae, representing stoney corals, and is endemic to Hawai'i.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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Porites duerdeni is an extremely rare species of colonial reef building finger coral found almost exclusively in Kāne‘ohe Bay, O’ahu.[3] It can be most abundantly found in shallow waters typically ranging from depths of 3–6 ft [4] but can also be found at greater depths that still receive significant sunlight.

Description

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Porites duerdeni is a colonial coral and is typically light brown, cream, yellowish, or light green in color with short knub/spherical like branches.[5] Porites duerdeni can be distinctly identified from closely related species by their septa composed of inwardly inclined trabeculae.[4]

Growth

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Porites duerdeni growth averages 1–2 cm a year.[6]

Conservation

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Porites duerdeni faced severe impacts due to bleaching events in 2015 and 2016, however a small team from the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources has been working to curb extinction by planting nursery grown P. duerdeni on the reefs of Kāne‘ohe Bay, O’ahu.[7] Porites duerdeni is much more susceptible to coral bleaching than common and dominate corals found in Hawai'i.[8]

References

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  1. ^ van der Land, Jacob (2013). "Porites duerdeni Vaughan, 1907". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  2. ^ "Knobby Finger Coral, Porites duerdeni". www.marinelifephotography.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  3. ^ "Marine Invertebrates - All Stoney Corals" (PDF). dlnr.hawaii.gov. October 1, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Vaughan, Thomas Wayland (1907). "Recent Madreporaria of the Hawaiian Islands and Laysan". Bulletin of the United States National Museum (59): i–427. doi:10.5479/si.03629236.59.i. hdl:2027/uiug.30112032535418. Archived from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  5. ^ Fenner, Douglas (2005). Corals of Hawai'i: field guide to the hard, black, and soft corals of Hawai'i and the northwest Hawaiian Islands, including Midway. Honolulu, Hawai'i: Mutual Pub. ISBN 1-56647-673-9. OCLC 60814867. Archived from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  6. ^ "Hawai'i Coral Restoration Nursery". dlnr.hawaii.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-04-10. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  7. ^ "Rare Corals Planted During Coralpalooza". Maui Now. Archived from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  8. ^ Morgan, Winston; Couch, Courtney S.; Brittany, Huntington; Vargas-Ángel, Bernardo; Suka, Rhonda R.; Thomas, Oliver; Ariel, Halperin; Gray, Andrew Elisha; Kaylyn, McCoy; Mollie, Asbury; Hannah, Barkley; Gove, Jamison M.; Nikki, Smith; Lindsey, Kramer; Julia, Rose (2020). "Preliminary Results of Patterns of 2019 Thermal Stress and Coral Bleaching Across the Hawaiian Archipelago". Series: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Administrative Report H; 20-04. doi:10.25923/8pqg-tq06. Archived from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-04-16.