Acropora abrolhosensis

Acropora abrolhosensis is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by John Veron in 1985. Found in sheltered lagoons and shallow reefs, it is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. The population of the species is decreasing, and most specimens are found in Western Australia, but occurs in many other areas. It is also listed under CITES Appendix II.

Acropora abrolhosensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Acroporidae
Genus: Acropora
Species:
A. abrolhosensis
Binomial name
Acropora abrolhosensis
Veron, 1985

Description

Acropora abrolhosensis specimens are found in tree-shaped colonies and are pink, blue, or brown, and the branch tips are pale in colour.[2] These tree-shaped colonies consist of several straight branches, which have large axial corallites (at the end of each branch) and the radial corallites (up the side of each branch) contain circular openings and have swollen ends.[2][3] The colonies can be over 10 m (33 ft) wide and 2 m (6.6 ft) high, and are sometimes compact.[2][3] Its axial corallites are 2.5 to 3.5 millimetres (0.098 to 0.138 in) in diameter.[3] It is similar to Acropora copiosa and Acropora loisetteae.[2] The species is found at depths of 2 to 18 m (6.6 to 59.1 ft), and is found in enclosed sheltered lagoons and the slopes of sheltered reefs.[1]

Distribution

Acropora abrolhosensis can be found in Australian waters, the Sea of Japan, the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Sea, the East China Sea, the Solomon Islands and the western Pacific. It is abundant at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. It is also believed to exist at the Marshall Islands and Fiji.[1] It is threatened by reef destruction and bleaching, and the population may be affected by the Acanthaster placini.[1] The coral can be found at temperatures of 22.22 to 28.63 °C (72.00 to 83.53 °F).[4]

It is classed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List as the population is decreasing, and is listed under Appendix II of CITES.[1] Its population is unknown but is likely to be threatened by the global reduction of coral reefs, the increase of temperature causing bleaching, and disease.[1]

Taxonomy

Acropora abrolhosensis was first described by John Veron in 1985[1] at Australian coral reefs.[5]

References
  1. "Acropora abrolhosensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  2. "Acropora abrolhosensis Fact Sheet. Veron, 1985". Australian Institute of Marine Science. 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  3. Wallace, Carden (1 September 1999). Staghorn Corals of the World: A Revision of the Genus Acropora. Csiro Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-643-10281-1.
  4. "Measurements and facts about Acropora abrolhosensis". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  5. B. Hoeksema (2014). "Acropora abrolhosensis Veron 1985". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
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