Montastraea is a genus of colonial stony coral found in the Caribbean seas. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Montastraeidae and contains a single species, Montastraea cavernosa, known as great star coral. It forms into massive boulders and sometimes develops into plates. Its polyps are the size of a human thumb and fully extend at night.[2]
Great star coral colonies form massive boulders and domes over 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter in waters of shallow and moderate depths. In deeper waters, this coral has been observed growing as a plate formation. It is found throughout most reef environments, and is the predominant coral at depths of 40–100 feet (12.2-30.5 m).
This coral occasionally has a fluorescent red or orange color during daytime; it has recently been suggested that this hue is due to phycoerythrin, a cyanobacterial protein. It appears that, in addition to symbiotic zooxanthella, this coral harbors endocellular symbiotic cyanobacteria, possibly to help it fix nitrogen. However more recently, Oswold et al. (2007) showed an absence of functional phycoerythrin in M. cavernosa.[3]
The species is gonochoric (colonies can be either male or female) and spawns one week after the full moon in late August. Skeletons show sex-related differences, with females having a less dense skeleton compared to males, which is presumably due to reallocating energy to egg production.[4]
The distinction of bleaching in reefs of M. cavernosa from merely white-coloured corals was shown to be difficult using standard reflectance techniques. A survey in the Bay of All Saints concluded that this may lead to nearly two-fold overestimation of bleaching.[5]
Montastraea is a genus of colonial stony coral found in the Caribbean seas. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Montastraeidae and contains a single species, Montastraea cavernosa, known as great star coral. It forms into massive boulders and sometimes develops into plates. Its polyps are the size of a human thumb and fully extend at night.
Montastraea es un género de coral pétreo que pertenece a la familia Montastraeidae, de la subclase Hexacorallia.
Este género todavía es enmarcado en la familia Faviidae por el Sistema Integrado de Información Taxonómica, ITIS,[2] o la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, UICN.[3] Pero los análisis filogenéticos, moleculares, mitocondriales, o las imágenes proporcionadas por el microscopio electrónico de barrido sobre la morfología de los cnidarios, realizados todos ellos en los últimos años por diversos estudios,[4][5] han dado lugar a la reclasificación de muchas especies, géneros y familias. Y Montastraea ha perdido a la práctica totalidad de las que, hasta ahora, eran sus especies, que se han revelado emparentadas en otros géneros.[6][7]
El Registro Mundial de Especies Marinas reconoce tan solo la siguiente especie,[1] valorando la UICN su estado de conservación:[8]
No obstante, queda pendiente la definitiva adscripción de Montastraea aperta (Verrill) al género.
Montastraea es un género de coral pétreo que pertenece a la familia Montastraeidae, de la subclase Hexacorallia.
Montastraea est un genre de scléractiniaires (coraux durs), le seul de la famille des Montastraeidae (mais anciennement classé parmi les Faviidae).
Selon World Register of Marine Species (4/3/2020)[2] :
Montastraea est un genre de scléractiniaires (coraux durs), le seul de la famille des Montastraeidae (mais anciennement classé parmi les Faviidae).
Montastraea is een geslacht van neteldieren uit de klasse van de Anthozoa (bloemdieren).
Montastraea is een geslacht van neteldieren uit de klasse van de Anthozoa (bloemdieren).
Montastraea é um género de cnidários pertencentes à ordem Scleractinia, família Faviidae.
Montastraea é um género de cnidários pertencentes à ordem Scleractinia, família Faviidae.
Montastraea là một chi san hô cứng trong họ Faviidae.[1][2]
Các loài sau được công nhận:[2]
Montastraea là một chi san hô cứng trong họ Faviidae.