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53
TIlS 1860. MIL'IE EDWARDS (& HAIME), 209.
1879. KLUNZINGER 2, l6,pls. 515,6/9 , 10/8.
1888, ORTMANN, ISS.
Several specimens in the present material are referable to this species. The growth form varies as to
encrusting , plate-like , massive with hillocks or even branching.
NS 4922 is part of a sub massive corallum with a surface rising to hillocks. The papillae run together
for considerable distance enclosing corallites between the valleys. The ridges thus formed are 4 to 6 mm
thick and high. A few papillae remain free and are conical or tounded in shape. Calices about 1 mm in
diameter with 12 septa.
SLR 381 (also SLR 1187 and PW 71 342) are thick digitiform or flattened branches up to 9 mm in
height and 2.5 mm in width. The papillae run together. The primary septa often fuse at the centre of the
calicinal fossa.
SLR 1176 is an encrusting growth with surface rising to small gibbosities. Papillae 3 to 4 mID thick
and up to 7 mm high. SLR 353 is a circular disc-shaped specimen with a greater spread of 20 cm. It is
formed of repeated encrustations. The papillae mostly remain single and are more or less similar to
M. danae BERNARD .
The outstanding feature of this species are the large papillae which generally run together to form
ridges and valleys enclosing conspicuous large calices. In general the calices are deep, open and about 1 mm
in diameter, but in some specimens (SLR 1176) they are smaller, 0.7 mm only. In one specimen, Wa 103
from USNM, the papillae are not developed at all. It is a massive growth.
Material :
Gulf of Suez:
Gulf of Aqaba :
Northern R. S. :
Central R. S.:
T. Aviv NS 8380, 8418 (Ras el Kanisa).
Jerus. SLR 1245* (Fara'un Isl.); 353*,381 (Marsa Murach); 11 76, 1187 (Marsa el
Muqeibla) ; 487-1,2 (EI Kura); 654-2, 3 *, 656 (Marsa Abu Zabad).
T. Aviv NS 1246*,8371 (Eilat); 1923 , 3067 (Marsa Murach) ; 4903 (Wassit);
4910, 4922, 4969 (Dahab).
Basel PW 73 516,73550 (Eilat); 71 341,71 342 (40m), 73545 (7 m)(Fara'un Isl.);
HLM
Jerus.
USNM
HLM
P. Sud.
HLM
EC
SLR
Wa
X2:
Sa
RM
73638 (El Kura, 30- 33 m).
1359-1362 (Aqaba).
2172-1* (Sharm el Maya).
5 l a (attached to Porites lutea), 103 (Ghardaqa).
2- 33 (Gubal lsl., 9 m).
14,57 (14 m), 58a (15 m, attached to Gyrosmilia interrupta),
59 (13 m) (Sanganeb R.).
69 (Wingate R.).
(*f.danae)
Dis t rib uti 0 n: The known distribution of M. meandrina is limited [0 Red Sea and Samaliland.
However, forma danae is widely known from the Indo-Pacific.
Rem ark s: From a close and critical study of the material at hand as well as of several others labelled
as danae from different parts of the Indian Ocean we are of the opinion thatM. danae MILNE EDWARDS &
HAIME is the same as M. meandrina. The difference is mainly in the growth form and in the size of the
calices . However, there are specimens in the present material that show characters intermediate between
the two. It is also worth mentioning that some specimens of M. meandrina show a tendency towards
branching forms grading in M. spongiosa, though retain conspicuous papillae. The relationship of M.
meandrina to M. spongiosa is still an open question.
B. II. Papillate Montipora with ramose or tufted branching coralla.
Montipora edwardsi BERNARD, 1897
(Plate 10. Figs. 7. 8)
Mo ntipora edwardsi 1897, BERNARD, 78 ; pis. 81l; 33114 (Typt: locality; Red Su).
con/usa ? 1967. NEMENZO, 14 ; pl. 3/ 1,2.
multilobata? 1860, MILNE EDWARDS & HAIME, 214 (after BERNARD).