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1976, PI LLAI & SCHEER, 48 (synonymy).
lobata 1860, MILNE EDWARDS ( & HAIME ), 19l.
1948, CROSSLAND, 200; pI. 12 (upp" fig.); 13 (low" fig.).
1952, CROSSLAND, 232 ; pI. 47/ 1- 3.
1956, STEPHENSON & WELLS, 27.
Red Sea 1 1903, BERNARD. 100; pI s. 8/ 1, 2; 13/ 12.
Red Sea 2? 1903, BERNARD, 101.
We describe below representative specimens from our collections to illustrate t he variation displayed
in this species:
RM 51 is part of a columnar specimen 9 cm high. Corallites 4 to 5 mm in diameter, polygona!. Calices
rounded, wall 0.5 to 0.7 mm thick. Calices 2 to 3 mm deep at the top of the corallum, shallow (1 mm) at
t he basal part. Septa in three cycles, united, in deeper calices they descent steeply, edges dentate. Columella
formed of septal fusion, better developed in shallow calices. Pali present only in sha llow older calices, not
to be seen in deep calices at the top of the column.
X2 : 13-8 is also columnar. Lower part dead. Corallites on an average 4 mm in diameter, wall 0.5 mm.
Depth of calices 2.5 to 2 mm . Columella well developed. Six pali present at the junction of septa, top of
pali blunt, granular.
NS 1908 is a thick columnar growth 15 cm high and 8 cm thick . The living zone is confined to the
upper 4 cm. Corallites 2 to 3 mm in diameter and deep. Septa very narrow at the top of the wall , edges
dentate as in other cases. Columella occupy half of the bottom of the calyx, composed of a layer of
trabeculae. Pali not visible at the top of the corallum, but a set of six narrOW pali is seen in older calices.
The details of the corallites mostly agree to BEDOT'S (1907) description of C. lobata, but the growthform
is typical as described for C. planulata .
EC 154 is one of KLUNZING ER's duplicates from Koseir. It is massive, t he calices at the top of the
corallum are eroded. At the base they are 3 to 4 mm in diameter. Columella well developed . Six pali
moderately developed in some of the calices.
Mat e ri a l :
Gul f of Suez: ] erus. SLR 840,856- 1, 2146a-c (Et Tur).
T. Aviv NS 1908 (Et Tur).
Gulf of Aqaba: ] erus. SLR 1076- 1 (Fara'un Is!.); 677- 2 (Marsa Abu Zabad).
T. Aviv NS 257 , E55 /548 0 (Eilat) ; 1894, 4924 (Dahab).
Northern R. S.: ] erus. SLR 8 14- 1,2 (Ras Muhammad).
HLM X2: 3- 1 (Gubal ls!.).
EC 154 (Koseir, duplicate from KL UNZINGE R).
USNM Wa 47 (Ghardaqa).
Central R. S.: P. Sud. Sa 49 (Sanganeb R.).
HLM EC 13 78 (Djiddah).
RM 51 (Wingate R.).
X2 : 8-4 (Shaab Anbar).
Southern R. S.: HLM X2 : 13- 8 (Sarso Is!,).
Di s t rib uti 0 n : Red Sea eastward to Fiji.
R em ark s: KLU NZINGER (1879) merged C. Lobata and C. coLumna with C. plt/nulata , but BEDOT
(1907) and CROSSLAND (1948) treated lobata separate from C. planulata. According to UMBGROVE (1939)
G. columna is also distinct from G. planulata, differing mainly in t he development of pali. SCHEER &
PILLAI (1974) followed UMBGROVE and kept C. columna distinct from C. planulata. However, from a
study of the present specimens along with our material from icobars and Maldives we are convinced
t hat C. columna and C. lobata are only variants of C. planulata as considered by KLUNZING ER. We have
specimens displaying intermediate characters. G. djibout;ensis VAUGHAN is also not separable from C.
planulata. And another species we consider as belonging here is C. duofac;ata. It is very likely that
C. minor CROSSLA, D (vide infra) is a variant of C. planulata. However, we describe this species separate
below.