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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. 4

To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5,

Bob Fenner  

Genus Pachyseris Milne Edwards & Haime 1849, Elephant Skin Corals. Many of the members of this genus display highly folded colonies. These folds are concentric, parallel to the colony edge. Never extend tentacles! /WA Corals:  colonies laminar to encrusting • may form broad upright columns • corallites are indistinct • obvious ridges form parallel to the colony margin
There is some discussion re the family placement of this genus.

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The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.


Pachyseris gemmae Nemenzo 1955. Colonies with numerous irregular folds. Photos, Cebu, Philippines and at far right, N. Sulawesi. /COTW:

Characters: Colonies have both horizontal and upright irregularly folded fronds. Valleys are parallel to frond margins except towards the base of fronds where they become irregular. Colonies are wavy. Columellae are wall-like and clearly fused with septo-costae.

Colour: Brown.

Similar Species: May be similar to tiered forms of Pachyseris speciosa except that fronds are usually more vertical; columellae are similar to those of P. rugosa although less conspicuous.

Habitat: Semi-protected reefs.

Abundance: Rare.

 
     
Pachyseris rugosa (Lamarck 1801). Upright, irregular growth. Plates growing together. Columellae as wall-like lobes. Massive sometimes in shallow water to upright blades in deeper, calmer waters. Aquarium images. /COTW:

Characters: Colonies are upright, irregular, usually contorted, anastomosing bifacial plates. They are often over one metre across. Columellae are wall-like lobes.

Colour: Deep bluish-grey or brown.

Similar Species: Pachyseris gemmae. See also P. involuta.

Habitat: May develop into large mound-shaped colonies in shallow water but smaller colonies occur in a wide range of habitats including those exposed to strong wave action.

Abundance: Common.

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The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Pachyseris speciosa (Dana 1846). One sided colony faces, with regular ridging. Most common member of the genus. N.E. Sulawesi image at right. Two in Fiji and a large colony in the Red Sea below. /COTW:

Characters: Colonies are unifacial laminae, usually horizontal, which may develop upright ridges . They commonly form stands several metres across. More than one row of corallites may occur between ridges. Columellae are absent.

Colour: Pale brown to deep grey, often with pale margins.

Similar Species: Pachyseris gemmae.

Habitat: All reef habitats but most common on lower reef slopes.

Abundance: Common.

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.
  

To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5,

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