Lobophyllia hemprichii
©Andy Lewis: A specimen of Lobophyllia hemprichii at Lizard Island showing the typical massive growth form. Identified by Dr Andy Lewis.
©Andy Lewis: A specimen of Lobophyllia hemprichii at Lizard Island showing some damage to the colony. Identified by Dr Andy Lewis.
©Anne Hoggett: A small colony of Lobophyllia hemprichii at Bommie Bay, Lizard Island. Identified by Grace Frank.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Cnidaria
Class
Hexacorallia
Order
Scleractinia
Family
Lobophylliidae
Genus
Lobophyllia
Species
Lobophyllia hemprichii
Status
least concern
Colours
Distinguishing features
A coral with an encrusting to massive growth form, reaching large sizes up to 5m. Corallites are round and phaceloid to flabello-meandroid, with thick walls and long septal teeth. Colour is highly variable but all corallites in a colony have the same colour(s). Retracted polyps are thick and fleshy and may have smooth or rough mantles (Corals of the World - link below)
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
species: Lobophyllia robusta
has larger, fleshier polyps always with a rough surface. -
Animalia:
species: Lobophyllia vitiensis
looks very similar to single polyps of Lobphyllia hemprichii.
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Upper reef slopes.
Can be found in most habitats around Lizard Island.
Behaviour
L. hemprichii is a hermaphroditic broadcast spawner.
Web resources
References
- Babcock, R.C., G.D. Bull, P.L. Harrison, A.J. Heyward, J.K. Oliver, C.C. Wallace and B.L. Willis (1986). Synchronous spawnings of 105 scleractinian coral species on the Great Barrier Reef, Marine Biology, 90: 379-394. LIRS catalog number 300.
- Baird, A.H., J.R. Guest and B.L. Willis (2009). Systematic and biogeographical patterns in the reproductive biology of scleractinian corals, Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 40: 551-571.
- Berumen, M.L. (2000). Influence of diet and habitat on the condition of butterflyfish, M.Sc. thesis, James Cook University. LIRS catalog number 719.
- View all references