Anthozoa |
Scleractinia |
Merulinidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Reef-associated; depth range 0 - 2000 m (Ref. 87091). Tropical; 33°N - 8°N, 98°W - 58°W (Ref. 848)
Western Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico to Caribbean and Bermuda.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Short description
Morphology
Colonies are massive, columnar, or flat. Corallites are flush with the colony surface to conical, this variation mostly occurring between rather than within, colonies. Septo-costae are nearly arranged. Long and short septae alternate. Columellae are small and compact. Brown and yellowish in color.
Zooxanthellate (Ref. 116012). Known from a submarine cave at a depth of 10 m (Ref. 87209).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Hermaphroditic (Ref. 113712). Mature gametes are shed into the coelenteron and spawned through the mouth. Life cycle: The zygote develops into a planktonic planula larva. Metamorphosis begins with early morphogenesis of tentacles, septa and pharynx before larval settlement on the aboral end (Ref. 833).
Collin, R., M.C. Díaz, J. Norenburg, R.M. Rocha, J.A. Sánchez, M. Schulze, A. Schwartz and A. Valdés. 2005. (Ref. 415)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
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Tools
More information
Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 6.3 - 17.4, mean 10.5 (based on 187 cells).
Price category
Unknown.
