Drs. Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan, K. Venkataraman
Info
Mondal & Raghunathan, 2013
Very special thanks for the first photo of Ctenactis triangularis to Dr. Tamal Mondal and Dr. C. Raghunathan!
The paratyp of the coral was found Paratype: One specimen was observed at North Bay
South Andaman during December 2008 and another specimen was observed at Elephant Beach
Havelock Island, Ritchie’s Archipelago, Andamans, on 06 July 2010.
Although this species’ close affinity with a
few morphological characters of other closely related species such as Ctenactis echinata and Ctenactis crassa, it distinctly differs from having a triangular flat-shaped
corallum, divisible mouth fossa, spinulose costal spines
and cylindrical septal teeth. It is pertinent to note that only three species are reported under genus Ctenactisfrom world waters as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Morphological plasticity can be observed
among these species, but this is not morphological differentiation of previously described species as all the characters of key components such as septa, costae,
mouth and their arrangement is totally different from previously recorded species.
The analytical result of all the characters of the described species is definitely a
new description. The presently described species from these Islands is a new addition to the genus Ctenactis.
Source: Journal of Threatened Taxa
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Cnidaria (Phylum) > Anthozoa (Class) > Hexacorallia (Subclass) > Scleractinia (Order) > Fungiidae (Family) > Ctenactis (Genus) > Ctenactis triangularis (Species)
Very special thanks for the first photo of Ctenactis triangularis to Dr. Tamal Mondal and Dr. C. Raghunathan!
The paratyp of the coral was found Paratype: One specimen was observed at North Bay
South Andaman during December 2008 and another specimen was observed at Elephant Beach
Havelock Island, Ritchie’s Archipelago, Andamans, on 06 July 2010.
Although this species’ close affinity with a
few morphological characters of other closely related species such as Ctenactis echinata and Ctenactis crassa, it distinctly differs from having a triangular flat-shaped
corallum, divisible mouth fossa, spinulose costal spines
and cylindrical septal teeth. It is pertinent to note that only three species are reported under genus Ctenactisfrom world waters as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Morphological plasticity can be observed
among these species, but this is not morphological differentiation of previously described species as all the characters of key components such as septa, costae,
mouth and their arrangement is totally different from previously recorded species.
The analytical result of all the characters of the described species is definitely a
new description. The presently described species from these Islands is a new addition to the genus Ctenactis.
Source: Journal of Threatened Taxa
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Cnidaria (Phylum) > Anthozoa (Class) > Hexacorallia (Subclass) > Scleractinia (Order) > Fungiidae (Family) > Ctenactis (Genus) > Ctenactis triangularis (Species)
