NMITA: Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America

Stephanocoenia

Stephanocoenia Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848

Morphologic Description:

Morphologic Diagnosis: Colony Form: subcerioid or cerioid, Colony Shape: massive or platy, Budding: extramural, Columella: styliform, Corallite Size: small ( < 1.5 mm) or medium (1.5 - 10mm), Wall Structure: septothecal, Lobes: pali.

Species (3 total):

S. intersepta (Lamarck, 1816): CC species # 2 (extant).

S. duncani Foster, 1987: CC species # 3 (extinct).

S. spongiformis (Duncan, 1864): CC species # 4 (extinct).

Diagnostic Morphologic Characters of Species
Character S. intersepta S. duncani S. spongiformis

Corallite Diameter > 2.0 mm <= 2.0 mm <=2.0 mm

Calice Relief shallow deep shallow

Calice Shape mostly circular mostly polygonal elliptical or circular

Calice Platform Shape v-shaped u-shaped u-shaped

Coenosteum Width 0.8 mm 0.5 mm 1.0 mm

Lobes prominent pali weak pali weak pali

**Diagnostic Morphologic Characters of Species**
Character	*S. intersepta*	*S. duncani*	*S. spongiformis*
Corallite Diameter	> 2.0 mm	<= 2.0 mm	<=2.0 mm
Calice Relief	shallow	deep	shallow
Calice Shape	mostly circular	mostly polygonal	elliptical or circular
Calice Platform Shape	v-shaped	u-shaped	u-shaped
Coenosteum Width	0.8 mm	0.5 mm	1.0 mm
Lobes	prominent pali	weak pali	weak pali

Last updated on February 15, 1997-afb.

[ NMITA home page| Zooxanthellate Corals| List of zoox-coral taxa ]