species: Pachyseris rugosa in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Pachyseris rugosa


©Andy Lewis: Macro image of Pachyseris rugosa showing the typical form of colony

©Andy Lewis: A small colony of Pachyseris rugosa at Watson's Bay showing the typical convoluted sub-massive morphology

©Andy Lewis: Macro image of Pachyseris rugosa showing the typical form of colony
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hexacorallia
Order Scleractinia
Family Scleractinia incertae sedis
Genus Pachyseris
Species Pachyseris rugosa
Status near threatened

Colours

              

Distinguishing features

A species that forms convoluted sub-massive colonies comprising irregular bifacial plates. In deeper water, the colony may form large mounds more than 5m in diameter.Corallites are not discernable. Colonies are usually brown in colour.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Comments

The genus Pachyseris was formerly ascribed to the family Agariciidae but molecular evidence shows that is not the case. The genus is regarded as Scleractinia incertae sedis according to WORMS (accessed 30 June 2018).

by Anne Hoggett

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Sheltered back reef and lagoonal habitats.

Can be found in most reef habitats around Lizard Island.

Behaviour

Web resources

References

  • Babcock, R.C., G.D. Bull, P.L. Harrison, A.J. Heyward, J.K. Oliver, C.C. Wallace and B.L. Willis (1986). Synchronous spawnings of 105 scleractinian coral species on the Great Barrier Reef, Marine Biology, 90: 379-394. LIRS catalog number 300.
  • Dinesen, Z.D. (1983). Shade-dwelling corals of the Great Barrier Reef, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 10: 173-185. LIRS catalog number 157.
  • Domm, S.B. and W. Deas (1976). Corals of the Great Barrier Reef Ure Smith, Sydney. LIRS catalog number 5.
  • View all references