254
CommunitIes ot Corals In Keet ecosystems
even ramose, corals: 15-20cmyear- 1 (cf. Sect. 1.2). The large colonies of
staghorn Acropora species compose a basic framework during the growth of
reef. When they live in the surf zone and have powerful colonies, several
common species of this genus absorb the main energy of wave-stress and
thus preserve the reef from destruction. This function on reefs of the
Atlantic is performed by Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, and on the
Indo-Pacific reefs by various A crop ora species, like A. formosa, A. humilis,
A. hyacinthus, A. digitifera, and A. palifera. Some species of Acropora form
the crustose colonies (A. palifera). Many acroporids are opportunists and
may survive severe stress conditions: heating, exposure, siltation. Their
species A. squamosa, A. pulchra, and A. hebes inhabit shallow reef zones
exposed during low ebbs, or the coastal areas of the barrier and of the
monsoon reefs subjected to terrigenous siltation (Ditlev 1978).
The Genus Montipora is one of the key taxa of corals on reefs of the
Indo-Pacific. It includes about 50 real species, being second after Acropora
in this respect. Many species of Montipora are among the most opportunistic
corals and may survive most unfavorable conditions which could be met with
on reefs. (This author has seen thickets of Montipora sp. on muddy bottoms
of coastal bays of the Vietnamese coast.) They often form in such stressed
environments large monospecific populations. Among the most widespread
corals of this genus M. erythraea, M. verrucosa and M. hispida could be
mentioned. The colonies of most Montipora species are foliose, ramose or
columnar.
Family Pocillopordae. This family is related to Acropora and includes three
genera of ramose corals most common on reefs of the Indo-Pacific:
Pocillopora, Stylophora and Seriatopora, which include about 20 real
species. Together with the acroporids these corals are the main components
of scleractinian fauna in the upper 20-m reef zone, at reef flats, at outer reef
slopes and at patch reefs. The species of this family, Pocillopora damicornis,
P. verrucosa, Stylophora pistillata and Seriatopora histrix, are among the
most widespread and opportunistic reef corals. Their colonies are present in
large quantities at any reef of the Indo-Pacific and could be found practically
in all its zones. Their polyps are open all day around. They grow quickly and
form medium-sized (20-50 cm) colonies, which well survive stress situations.
The fourth genus of this faimly, Madracis, lives mostly in deep zones of reef
slopes.
Family Poritidae. On most of Indo-Pacific and Atlantic reefs this family
ranges third in importance as component of the scleractiniari fauna. The
main genus of this family, Porites, comprises 120 nominal species. Some
species of poritids have large massive colonies attaining sizes of 2-3 m and
ages of several hundred years. Other species having columnal or ramose-like
colonies attain the same large size. Poritids are an important component of
CommunitIes ot Corals In Keet ecosystems
even ramose, corals: 15-20cmyear- 1 (cf. Sect. 1.2). The large colonies of
staghorn Acropora species compose a basic framework during the growth of
reef. When they live in the surf zone and have powerful colonies, several
common species of this genus absorb the main energy of wave-stress and
thus preserve the reef from destruction. This function on reefs of the
Atlantic is performed by Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, and on the
Indo-Pacific reefs by various A crop ora species, like A. formosa, A. humilis,
A. hyacinthus, A. digitifera, and A. palifera. Some species of Acropora form
the crustose colonies (A. palifera). Many acroporids are opportunists and
may survive severe stress conditions: heating, exposure, siltation. Their
species A. squamosa, A. pulchra, and A. hebes inhabit shallow reef zones
exposed during low ebbs, or the coastal areas of the barrier and of the
monsoon reefs subjected to terrigenous siltation (Ditlev 1978).
The Genus Montipora is one of the key taxa of corals on reefs of the
Indo-Pacific. It includes about 50 real species, being second after Acropora
in this respect. Many species of Montipora are among the most opportunistic
corals and may survive most unfavorable conditions which could be met with
on reefs. (This author has seen thickets of Montipora sp. on muddy bottoms
of coastal bays of the Vietnamese coast.) They often form in such stressed
environments large monospecific populations. Among the most widespread
corals of this genus M. erythraea, M. verrucosa and M. hispida could be
mentioned. The colonies of most Montipora species are foliose, ramose or
columnar.
Family Pocillopordae. This family is related to Acropora and includes three
genera of ramose corals most common on reefs of the Indo-Pacific:
Pocillopora, Stylophora and Seriatopora, which include about 20 real
species. Together with the acroporids these corals are the main components
of scleractinian fauna in the upper 20-m reef zone, at reef flats, at outer reef
slopes and at patch reefs. The species of this family, Pocillopora damicornis,
P. verrucosa, Stylophora pistillata and Seriatopora histrix, are among the
most widespread and opportunistic reef corals. Their colonies are present in
large quantities at any reef of the Indo-Pacific and could be found practically
in all its zones. Their polyps are open all day around. They grow quickly and
form medium-sized (20-50 cm) colonies, which well survive stress situations.
The fourth genus of this faimly, Madracis, lives mostly in deep zones of reef
slopes.
Family Poritidae. On most of Indo-Pacific and Atlantic reefs this family
ranges third in importance as component of the scleractiniari fauna. The
main genus of this family, Porites, comprises 120 nominal species. Some
species of poritids have large massive colonies attaining sizes of 2-3 m and
ages of several hundred years. Other species having columnal or ramose-like
colonies attain the same large size. Poritids are an important component of