species: Goniastrea stelligera in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Cnidaria > Anthozoa > Hexacorallia > Scleractinia > Merulinidae > Goniastrea > Goniastrea stelligera (gallery)
Goniastrea stelligera


©Andy Lewis: A colony of Goniastrea stelligera at Crystal Beach, Lizard Island

©Andy Lewis: Macro image of Goniastrea stelligera showing the typical form of the corallites

©Andy Lewis: A purple colony of Goniastrea stelligera near Palfrey Island, Lizard Island

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hexacorallia
Order Scleractinia
Family Merulinidae
Genus Goniastrea
Species Goniastrea stelligera
Status near threatened

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

              

Distinguishing features

A species that forms submassive colonies up to 2m diameter. Corallites are plocoid and relatively small, with a conical shape and small opening and prominant palliform lobes. Colony colour is usually brown or purple-blue.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Reef fronts, shallow reef flats, lagoons adjacent to reef fronts.

Can be found in most habitats around Lizard Island, and is common in many reef front locations.

Behaviour

Goniastrea stelligera is a hermaphroditic broadcast spawner. Larvae are released without symbiotic zooxanthellae, but acquire these from seawater at about the 6th day after spawning.

Web resources

References

  • Aldredge, A.L. and J.M. King (1977). Distribution, abundance and substrate preference of demersal zooplankton at Lizard Island lagoon, Great Barrier Reef, Marine Biology, 41: 317-333. LIRS catalog number 1.
  • 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.
  • View all references