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- Title
New evidence shows that Pocillopora 'damicornis-like' corals in Singapore are actually Pocillopora acuta (Scleractinia: Pocilloporidae).
- Authors
Poquita-Du, Rosa Celia; Chin Soon Lionel Ng; Jun Bin Loo; Afiq-Rosli, Lutfi; Ywee Chieh Tay; Todd, Peter A.; Loke Ming Chou; Danwei Huang
- Abstract
Molecular sequence data have previously revealed the existence of cryptic species associated with the Pocillopora 'damicornis-like' coral. Recently, this species complex has been reclassified into three species including the resurrected P. acuta, which appears to have a wide distribution. Morphological characteristics described for P. acuta are present in corals previously identified as Pocillopora damicornis. To determine if the Pocillopora 'damicornis-like' colonies on Singapore's reefs are P. acuta, P. damicornis, or both, we examined a new collection of Pocillopora using mitochondrial DNA data and morphology. We also compared specimen morphologies from past collections and examined the known regional distributions of both species. Our analyses show that most Pocillopora 'damicornis-like' corals in Singapore are P. acuta instead of P. damicornis. Findings here are important for coral diversity records in Singapore and will help clarify distributional limits of morphologically similar Pocillopora species.
- Subjects
SINGAPORE; SCLERACTINIA; INVERTEBRATE morphology; DNA data banks; BIODIVERSITY
- Publication
Biodiversity Data Journal, 2017, p1
- ISSN
1314-2836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3897/BDJ.5.e11407