''Stylophora'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
colonial
Colonial or The Colonial may refer to:
* Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology)
Architecture
* American colonial architecture
* French Colonial
* Spanish Colonial architecture
Automobiles
* Colonial (1920 au ...
stony corals in the family
Pocilloporidae
The Pocilloporidae are a family of stony corals in the order Scleractinia occurring in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Description
Pocilloporids are colonial and most species are reef-building. They are very variable in size and shape, some being ...
. They are commonly known as cat's paw corals or birdsnest corals. They are native to the Red Sea, the Indo-Pacific region and eastwards as far as the
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands (; Pitkern: '), officially the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, is a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four isl ...
.
[
]
Characteristics
Members of this genus are branching corals. The finger-like branches vary in width and have blunt tips. The growth forms and colours are variable depending on many factors, including the level of light and the amount of water movement. The colour may be orange, pink, magenta, purple, green or brown.
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 species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
are listed in the World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms.
Content
The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialist ...
(WoRMS):[
* †'' Stylophora confusa'' Duncan, 1880
* '' Stylophora danae'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1850
* '' Stylophora erythraea'' Von Marenzeller, 1907
* '' Stylophora flabellata'' Quelch, 1886
* †'' Stylophora gigas'' Hoffmeister, 1945
* †'' Stylophora granulata'' Duncan & Wall, 1865
* '' Stylophora kuehlmanni'' Scheer & Pillai, 1983
* '' Stylophora lobata'' Gardiner, 1898
* '' Stylophora madagascarensis'' Veron, 2000
* '' Stylophora mamillata'' Scheer & Pillai, 1983
* †'' Stylophora minuta'' Duncan, 1868
* '' Stylophora pistillata'' Esper, 1797
* '' Stylophora subseriata'' (Ehrenberg, 1834)
* '' Stylophora wellsi'' Scheer, 1964
]
References
Pocilloporidae
Taxa named by August Friedrich Schweigger
Scleractinia genera
{{scleractinia-stub