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3S
E. Corallum subarborescenr with slender branches with radiating short, thin branches and long tubular
radials, giving a bottlebrush appearance to the corallum.
1 S. Subarborescenr. Main branches up to 1 cm thick, with numerous radiating branchlets. Axials 2 to
3 mm thick and up to S mm long, thin-walled. Radials half-tubular or nariform , 3 to 4 mm long,
1 to 2 mm thick. Proliferous radials are tubular and up to 8 mm long ............. A. capillaris
Madrepora
Acropora
Acropora valenciennesi (MIL E EDWARDS and HAL'rl E), 1860
( Pla(~ S, Figs. 6,1)
valende,,,,es; 1860, MILNE EDWARDS (& HAIME). 137 (Type locality : Ceylon),
1893. BROOK. 46.
multicaulis 1893. BROOK, 48; pI. 3.
mullicaulis
1906. v. MARE ZELLER, SJ i pis. 17/ 54.55. 18/ S4a. SSa.
1954. ROSSI. -19; pIs. 5/ 3; 714 .
1967 . SCHEER . 426.
One of our specimens is referable to this species. The corallum is repeatedly dividing, tufted arborescenr
with thick branches. Total height of the colony 2S cm. Tips of branches slightly tapering. Branches
7 to 10 cm long, 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Axial corallitcs 3 to l .5 mm thick, 2 to 3 mm exsen; septa 12 , directives
fused. Radials tubular, both proliferous and non-proliferous, former develop to branch lets. Non-proliferous
ones 2 mm thick , 2 to 4 mm long, ascending or o nly slightly spreading, close together, smaller ones intercalated.
At the basal pam of the branches a few are subimmersed. Septa 12 , wall striated,baseechinulate.
Coenosteum stri ated and echinulate. Coral dense in section.
Mate ri a l: Southern R. 5.: HLM X2: 10- 1 (Sa rso lsl.).
Dis t rib uti 0 n : Red Sea; East Africa; Ceylon ; Rameswaram (type locality of A. nluiticaulis );
Torres Strait (B ROOK ).
Rem ark s : MILNE EDWARDS & HAIME ( 1860) did not illustrate this species, but gave only a short
description which was amplified by BROOK. One of us (PILLAI) received good photographs of the type of
M. valenciennesi from Paris Museum and examined the type of A. muiticaulis in BMNH. There seems to
be no major difference between these two except that in BROOK 'S species the radials are ascending at the
distal parts of the branches, while in valenciennesi they are spreading throughout. However, the type of
valenClennesi also shows ascending radials at the distal parts of the branches. The other details as well as
the growthform are similar. We take the two species menrioned here as o ne and the same. Some of the
radials have a strong resemblance to thick-stemmed specimens of A. formosa . But the dimensions of the
axials of these two differ. Further field studies are required to ascertain their relationship.
Acropora pharaonis (MILNE EDWARDS and HAlhtE), 1860
(Plate S. Fig. 8: Pl ate 6, Fig. 1)
Maduporo
Acropora
Madrepora
pbaraonis 1860, MILNE EDWARDS (& HAIME), 143 (Typ«' locality: Red SC'a).
1893, BROOK, 58 (synonymy).
1911. G RAVIER, 7]: pI. 10/ -42 . 4] (synonymy).
pbQI'Qonis 1906. v. MARENZELLER. ]S; pis. 4- 8 / 10- 18: 9/ 10a- 17a.
? 1918. VAUGHAN, 106: pis. 6911 - 5: 70/ 1. 2,23.
non 1950, WELLS. ]6 ( = A. inurmt!dia).
1954. ROSSI , 46.
1967. SCHEER, 424.
1976, PILLAI & SCHEER. 25 ; pI. 3/t, 2.
QrabicQ 1860. MIL'lE EDWARDS (& HAIME). 145.
1893, BROOK, 66 (synonymy).
ebrenbngi 1860, MIlliE EDWARDS (& HAIME), 141.
1893, BROOK, 48.
/axa (LAM.) 1876, HAECKEL, 45; pI. 2/7.
189], BROOK. 46 (non EHRENBERG).
microc),athus 1879, KLUNZINGER 2. 22; pi s. 3/ 3; 4/ 19 :9/17.
6 Zoologica . 133