NMITA: Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America

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Montastraea

Montastraea Link, 1807

Morphologic Description: Plocoid; extramural budding; small septal teeth; strong costae; trabecular columella; septothecal wall structure.

I. Montastraea with approx. 24 septa.

Species (11 total):

• M. annularis (Ellis and Solander, 1786): CC species #116 (extant).
• M. faveolata (Ellis and Solander, 1786): CC species #117 (extant).
• M. franksi (Gregory, 1895): CC species #118 (extant).
• M. brevis (Duncan, 1864): CC species #119 (extinct).
• M. imperatoris (Vaughan, 1919): CC species #120 (extinct).
• M. limbata-1 (Duncan, 1863): CC species #121.1 (extinct).
• M. limbata-2 (Duncan, 1863): CC species #121.2 (extinct).
• M. limbata-3 (Duncan, 1863): CC species #121.3 (extinct).
• M. trinitatis (Vaughan in Vaughan and Hoffmeister, 1926): CC species #123 (extinct).
• M. sp. A: CC species #122 (extinct).
• M. sp. B: CC species #119.1 (extinct).




Diagnostic Morphologic Characters of Species

Species	Colony Shape	Corallite Diameter	Total number of septa per corallite	Corallite Spacing	Other
M. annularis	wide columns	2.1-2.7 mm	24	1-1.2 mm	raised septa and theca
M. faveolata	skirted mounds and plates	2.1-2.7 mm	24	0.6-0.9 mm	poorly developed costae
M. franksi	irregular bumpy mounds and plates	2.5-3.5 mm	24-26	1-1.2 mm	well developed costae
M. brevis	small discoidal colonies	3.3-4 mm	26-40	2.3-3.8 mm	well developed epitheca
M. imperatoris	rounded mounds	2.5-3.5 mm	18-24	< 2 mm	prominent primary septa
M. limbata-1	thin columns	3.5-5 mm	24	4-6 mm
M. limbata-2	irregular mounds and plates	2.3-3.5 mm	24	3-5 mm
M. limbata-3	thin columns	2-2.5 mm	24	4-6 mm
M. trinitatis	rounded mounds	2.5-4 mm	24-48	3-5 mm	elliptical corallites
M. sp. A	small rounded colonies	<< 2.2 mm	20-22	< 1.5 mm
M. sp. B	thin columns	2-2.5 mm	24	1-1.2 mm	well-developed costae




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Last updated on February 15, 1997-afb.

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