NMITA: Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America

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Siderastrea

Siderastrea Blainville, 1830

Morphologic Description: Cerioid; extramural budding; trabecular columella; synapticulothecal wall structure.

Morphologic Diagnosis: Colony Form: cerioid, Colony Shape: massive or platy, Budding: extramural, Columella: trabecular and discontinuous, Corallite Size: medium (1.5 - 10mm), Wall Structure: synapticulothecal, Lobes: none.

Species (7 total):

• S. conferta (Duncan, 1863): CC species # 53 (extinct).
• S. mendenhalli Vaughan, 1917: CC species # 54 (extinct).
• S. pliocenica Vaughan, 1919: CC species # 55 (extinct).
• S. radians (Pallas, 1766): CC species # 56 (extant).
• S. silecensis Vaughan, 1919: CC species # 57 (extinct).
• S. siderea (Ellis and Solander, 1786): CC species # 58 (extant).
• S. stellata Verrill, 1868: CC species # 59 (extant).




Diagnostic Morphologic Characters of Species

Species	Corallite Diameter	Number of septa per corallite	Calice Relief	Columella Width	Wall
S. conferta	6-8 mm	>60	low	thin	thin
S. mendenhalli	3-5 mm	48-54	low	thick	thick
S. pliocenica	4.5-5 mm	40-48	low	thick	thick
S. radians	2.5-3.5 mm	30-40	medium	thick	thick
S. silecensis	5-6.5 mm	48->60	medium	intermediate	thin
S. siderea	3-5 mm	44-50	high	thin	thin
S. stellata	~3 mm (in series)	~48	high	thin	thin




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Last updated on February 15, 1997-afb.

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