Cyphastrea salae, a new species of hard coral from Lord Howe Island, Australia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae).

ABSTRACT: A new zooxanthellate reef-dwelling scleractinian coral species, Cyphastrea salaesp. n. (Scleractinia, Merulinidae), is described from Lord Howe Island Australia. The new species can be distinguished morphologically from the only other congeneric species on Lord Howe Island, C. microphthalma, by the number of primary septa (12 vs. 10) and the much taller corallites (mean ± SE: 1.0 ± 0.07 mm v 0.4 ± 0.04 mm). The relationship of C. salae to four of the other eleven currently accepted species in the genus was explored through analyses of nuclear (28S rDNA) and mitochondrial (noncoding intergenic region) gene sequences. Cyphastrea salaesp. n. forms a strongly supported clade that is distinct from a clade containing three species found commonly i

SUBMITTER: Baird AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5539699 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature