logo

Echinomorpha

Veron, 2000, vol. 2, p. 333

Type Species

Echinophyllia nishihirai Veron 1990, p. 130-132, fig. 35-37, 79; Original Designation Veron, 2000, vol. 2: 333

Type Specimen: Holotype; MTQ G32483; Verified; Dry Preserved

Type Locality: Okinawa Is., Ryukyu Islands of Japan (Recent)

Classification

Diagnosis

Colonial, but often solitary; laminar. Budding intracalicular. Corallites polymorphic; organically united and lacking distinct calical walls. Monticules absent. Coenosteum spinose; extensive amount (≥ corallite diameter). Calice width large (> 15 mm), with medium relief (3–6 mm). Costosepta mostly confluent in colonies. Septa in ≥ four cycles (≥ 48 septa). Free septa irregular. Septa spaced < six septa per 5 mm. Costosepta unequal in relative thickness. Columellae trabecular and spongy (> three threads), ≥ 1/4 of calice width, and discontinuous among adjacent corallites with lamellar linkage. Paliform (uniaxial) lobes weakly developed. Epitheca absent. Endotheca low-moderate (tabular).

Description

'This genus has only one species, see Echinomorpha nishihirai.' (Veron, 2000, vol. 2: 333) For Echinomorpha nishihirai, 'Characters: Colonies or individuals are thin and delicate. They may have only one corallite or have a prominent central corallite and widely spaced peripheral corallites. Septo-costae radiate from the central corallite like spokes from a wheel. Colour: Uniform or mottled dark browns or greens.' (Veron, 2000, vol. 2: 333)

Comparisons

Echinomorpha possesses the autapomorphy of septa in ≥ four cycles (≥ 48 septa), and is unique among the closely related genera of Echinomorpha, Echinophyllia and Oxypora in subclade F, which generally have fewer septa. Subcorallite and genetic characters for Echinomorpha nishihirai have not been examined, but all the observed macromorphological traits suggest that it may be the sister species of Echinophyllia tarae, which differs only in having a raised central corallite rim and paliform crown, and lacking in the above autapomorphy (Benzoni, 2013).

Remarks

Echinomorpha is a monotypic genus that was described recently (Veron, 2000, vol. 2: 333). Its sole member previously belonged to the closely-related Echinophyllia. Although no genetic material was available to place the genus on the molecular phylogeny, we analysed the macromorphological data for Echinomorpha nishihirai (Veron, 1990: 130). Our results show that it is nested within the Echinophyllia + Oxypora clade and is the sister taxon to Echinophyllia tarae Benzoni, 2013: 63. There is low support for the latter relationship, but the former is supported by a high bootstrap value of 71 and decay index of 4. Due to the sparse taxonomic sampling among Echinomorpha, Echinophyllia and Oxypora (subclade F + G sensu Arrigoni et al., 2014c) in this study, we refrain from prescribing formal changes for these taxa. Echinomorpha is restricted to the reefs of central Indo-Pacific between Japan and Indonesia (Veron, 2000).

Distribution

  • East Asia; Pleistocene
  • Western Pacific; Recent
Source: Paleobiology database (5/26/12), Veron (2000). Distribution contributed by Matthew Tibbits.

This page has been in preparation since 19-Jul-2010 02:39

This version was contributed by Danwei Huang on 29-Jan-2016 13:51.

Page authors are: Ann Budd Danwei Huang. Please contact the editor if you would like to contribute to the diagnosis of this taxon.

The editor is: Ann Budd


holotype of Echinophyllia nishihirai Veron
info
holotype of Echinophyllia nishihirai Veron
info