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Related FAQs: Agariciids, SPS
Corals, Stony/True Coral, Coral System Set-Up, Coral System Lighting, Stony Coral Identification, Stony Coral Selection, Coral Placement, Foods/Feeding/Nutrition, Disease/Health, Propagation, Growing Reef Corals, Stony Coral Behavior, Stony Coral Behavior, SPS Identification, SPS Behavior, SPS
Compatibility, SPS Selection,
SPS Systems, SPS Feeding, SPS
Disease, SPS
Reproduction,
Related Articles: True or Stony Corals, Order
Scleractinia, Dyed Corals,
/The Best Livestock For Your Reef Aquarium:
Cactus, Elephant Skin, Plate,
Lettuce Corals of the Family Agariciidae, pt. 3
To:
Part 1, Part
2, Part 4,
Part 5,
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| Bob Fenner |
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| Leptoseris cucullata (Ellis & Solander
1786). Colonies are irregular flat plat plates that have batches of
wave-like ridges facing outward from the center, with distinctive
thin lines at the outside edge. Corallites point outward. Found in
the tropical West Atlantic. Bahamas images. |
 
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| Leptoseris explanata Yabe & Sugiyama 1941. Colonies
made up of one-sided blades. Corallites expand as they grow toward end of
blades. /COTW:
Characters: Colonies
are composed of unifacial laminae which may be horizontal with entire or
lobed margins, or contorted and partly upright. Corallites are widely spaced
and outwardly inclined. Long and short septo-costae alternate strongly and
form fine but conspicuous radiating striations.
Colour: Pale
brown or yellow-brown, often with white margins.
Similar Species: Leptoseris
gardineri and L.
scabra.
Habitat: Usually
found on vertical or overhung faces, especially of lower reef slopes.
Abundance: Uncommon.
Wakotobi, S. Sulawesi, Indo.
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| Leptoseris hawaiiensis Vaughan 1907.
Colonies as encrusting laminae. Corallites raised irregularly,
rounded. Septae costae even. Green or brown in color. East Africa,
Red Sea to Hawai'i, Tuamotus and tropical East Pacific. Nuka
Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia pic. |
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| Leptoseris incrustans (Quelch 1886), Swelling Coral.
Most common member of the genus in Hawai'i. Identified by swellings of
septo-costae between the calyces. Colonies of only a few inches across occur
under ledges, generally in deeper water. Tan to reddish-brown to greenish in
color. Indo-Pacific. |
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| Leptoseris mycetoseroides Wells 1954, /COTW:
Characters: Colonies
are encrusting or laminar plates which frequently exceed one metre across.
Plates have small irregular folds on the surface. Corallites are crowded
between the folds except towards the periphery where they are aligned in
rows parallel to the margins. They are outwardly inclined. Septo-costae are
fine and even.
Colour: Mottled
brown and green, usually dark colours if shaded.
Similar Species: Leptoseris
foliosa, which is distinguished by its smooth surface and rounded
corallite openings. See also L.
yabei and Pavona
varians.
Habitat: Reef
slopes protected from wave action, especially steeply sloping or vertical
walls.
Abundance: Sometimes
common. NSUL
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| Leptoseris scabra Vaughan 1907. Colonies as
unifacial laminae. Alternating short and long septo-costae. Nuka
Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia pic. |
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| Leptoseris solida (Quelch 1886). Encrusting
colonies with corallites distributed randomly, while forming
mound-like ridges concentrically. Redang, Malaysia photos. |
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Leptoseris yabei (Pillai & Scheer 1976). /COTW:
Characters: Colonies
are laminar, in whorls or tiers or vase-shaped. They are commonly over
one metre across. Corallites are enclosed in rectangular pockets formed
between radiating ridges and low walls which are parallel to frond
margins. Septo-costae are moderately exsert and alternate.
Colour: Usually
pale brown or yellowish, sometimes with white margins.
Similar
Species: Leptoseris
yabei is closest to L.
mycetoseroides but is readily distinguished from
all other species by having corallites in rectangular pockets.
Habitat: Usually
found on flat substrates.
Abundance: Uncommon
but conspicuous.
Taxonomic Note: Possibly warrants a separate
generic designation
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Part 1, Part
2, Part 4,
Part 5,
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