Montipora flabellata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Montipora flabellata | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Subphylum: | Anthozoa |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Scleractinia |
| Family: | Acroporidae |
| Genus: | Montipora |
| Species: | M. flabellata |
| Binomial name | |
| Montipora flabellata Studer, 1901 | |
Montipora flabellata, known by the common name blue rice coral, is a species of coral in the family Acroporidae. It is found growing on coral reefs in tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is known to be endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Its Hawaiian name translated to Polū laiki ko'a, polū meaning blue, laiki meaning rice, and ko'a meaning corals in ʻŌlelo Hawaii.
Usually blue (which may photograph pink), also brown or purple. Colonies are encrusting, with irregular lobes.[2] The reproductive traits of Montipora fabellata (Studer 1901)[3] show a narrow distribution and are typically restricted to shallow water with high wave energy and irradiance with an encrusting growth form.[4]
Colonies are encrusting, with irregular lobes. Corallites are small (0.5 mm diameter).[5] Papillae cover the colony surface and are sometimes fused into ridges. Septa are poorly developed. Encrusting lilac, pink, blue, or rarely brown sheets with calices immersed between irregular ridges of fused rods. Fluorescent blue color is only present in photographs taken with sunlight.[2]
