Merulinidae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of reef-building stony corals.

Characteristics

All the genera in this family are colonial, reef-building corals. Skeletal structures are similar to those of

Faviidae Mussidae is a family of stony coral in the order Scleractinia. Following a taxonomic revision in 2012, the family is now restricted to species found in the Atlantic Ocean, with Pacific species transferred to the new family Lobophylliidae. Many ...

but are highly fused, without paliform lobes. The valleys are superficial or may be indistinct because of fan-like spreading or contortions in the ridges. Faviidae and

Trachyphylliidae Merulinidae is a family of reef-building stony corals. Characteristics All the genera in this family are colonial, reef-building corals. Skeletal structures are similar to those of Faviidae but are highly fused, without paliform lobes. The valle ...

are the most closely related families.

Genera

The World Register of Marine Species includes these

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

in the family: *'' Astrea'' Lamarck, 1801 *''

Australogyra ''Australogyra'' is a genus of cnidarians belonging to the family Faviidae Mussidae is a family of stony coral in the order Scleractinia. Following a taxonomic revision in 2012, the family is now restricted to species found in the Atlantic Oc ...

'' Veron & Pichon, 1982 *'' Boninastrea'' Yabe & Sugiyama, 1935 *''

Caulastraea ''Caulastraea'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Species of ''Caulastraea'' are commonly found in the aquarium trade under the names candy cane coral or trumpet coral. Species The following species are currently recognize ...

'' Dana, 1846 *''

Coelastrea ''Coelastrea'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Members of this genus are native to the Indo-Pacific region and their ranges extend from the Red Sea and the east coast of Africa through the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Oc ...

'' Verrill, 1866 *''

Cyphastrea ''Cyphastrea'' is a genus of massive reef building stony corals in the family Merulinidae Merulinidae is a family of reef-building stony corals. Characteristics All the genera in this family are colonial, reef-building corals. Skeletal struc ...

'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 *''

Dipsastraea ''Dipsastraea'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Members of this genus are native to the Indo-Pacific region. They are zooxanthellate corals. Species The following species In biology, a species is the basic unit o ...

'' Blainville, 1830 *''

Echinopora ''Echinopora'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Species The following species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A ...

'' Lamarck, 1816 *'' Erythrastrea'' Pichon, Scheer & Pillai, 1983 *''

Favites ''Favites'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Members of this genus are native to the Indo-Pacific region and their ranges extend from the Red Sea through the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean as far as Japan, the Line Is ...

'' Link, 1807 *''

Goniastrea ''Goniastrea'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Species belonging to the genus ''Goniastrea'' forms massive colonies, usually spherical or elongate, with well developed paliform lobes. Polyps can be seen only at night. Spe ...

'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 *''

Hydnophora ''Hydnophora'' is a genus of large polyp stony corals in the family Merulinidae Merulinidae is a family of reef-building stony corals. Characteristics All the genera in this family are colonial, reef-building corals. Skeletal structures ar ...

'' Fischer von Waldheim, 1807 *'' Hydnophyllia'' † Reis, 1889 *'' Isastraea''† Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 *''

Leptoria ''Leptoria'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Members of this genus are known as brain corals or closed brain corals. They are native to the Indo-Pacific region and their ranges extend from the Red Sea through the Indian Ocea ...

'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 *'' Merulina'' Ehrenberg, 1834 *'' Mycedium'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 *''

Orbicella ''Orbicella'' is a genus of stony corals in the Merulinidae family. The Orbicella species complex comprises three sister species, namely ''Orbicella faveolata'', ''Orbicella annularis'' and ''Orbicella franksi'', all of which are shallow-water, ...

'' Dana, 1846 *''

Oulophyllia ''Oulophyllia'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Members of this genus are native to the tropical western and central Indo-Pacific region. Characteristics The colonies of these corals are massive and form dome-shaped mounds, ...

'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 *''

Paragoniastrea ''Paragoniastrea'' is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Species The following species are currently recognized by the World Register of Marine Species: * ''Paragoniastrea australensis ''Paragoniastrea australensis'', also ...

'' Huang, Benzoni & Budd, 2014 *'' Paraleptoria''† Budd & Bosellini, 2016 *'' Paramontastraea'' Huang & Budd, 2014 *'' Pectinia'' Blainville, 1825 *'' Physophyllia'' Duncan, 1884 *'' Platygyra'' Ehrenberg, 1834 *'' Scapophyllia'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 *'' Trachyphyllia'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849

References

Scleractinia Cnidarian families Taxa named by Addison Emery Verrill {{scleractinia-stub