species: Psammocora digitata in ALA: LIRS and surrounds using records to Oct. 2021 (Lizard Island Field Guide)
ALA: LIRS and surrounds using records to Oct. 2021 > Animalia > Cnidaria > Anthozoa > Hexacorallia > Scleractinia > Siderastreidae > Psammocora > Psammocora digitata (gallery)
Psammocora digitata


©Anne Hoggett: A portion of the flat, encrusting colony of Psammocora digitata on the reef slope near South Island, Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Surface detail of the flat, encrusting colony of Psammocora digitata on the reef slope near South Island, Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: A flat, encrusting colony of Psammocora digitata about a metre wide on a vertical surface in an underhang on the reef slope near South Island, Lizard Island group.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hexacorallia
Order Scleractinia
Family Siderastreidae
Genus Psammocora
Species Psammocora digitata
Status near threatened

Show in taxonomy
Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

                             

Distinguishing features

This name has often been used incorrectly for Psammocora haimiana (Benzoni et al, 2010). Both species occur at Lizard Island.

Description of P. digitata by Benzoni et al (2010): "Colony growth form massive to digitiform, with columnar digitations most commonly rastremating [= tapering] from the base, rounded at the tip and oval in section. Colonies can attain large sizes and exceed 50 cm in diameter."

Colonies can also be flat and encrusting according to Dr Zoe Richards (WA Museum, 2019).

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Similar taxa

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Shallow reef flats, lagoons, and back reef margins.

Can be found in most habitats around Lizard Island.

Behaviour

This species is a gonochoric broadcast spawner.

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • Benzoni, F., F. Stefani, J. Stolarski, M. Pichon and P. Galli (2007). Debating phylogenetic relationships of the scleractinian Psammocora: molecular and morphological evidences, Contributions to Zoology, 76: 33-52.

Other references

  • Baird, A.H., J.R. Guest and B.L. Willis (2009). Systematic and biogeographical patterns in the reproductive biology of scleractinian corals, Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 40: 551-571.
  • Benzoni, F. Stefani, M. Pichon and P. Galli, F. (2010). The name game: morpho-molecular species boundaries in the genus Psammocora (Cnidaria, Scleractinia). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 160: 421–456, . LIRS catalog number 90311.
  • View all references