Colours
Distinguishing features
A coral that forms colonies of irregular flattened branches. Corallites have poorly defined walls and a granulated appearance. Colour variable. Polyps are often extended during the day.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Shallow reef flats in protected areas.
Can be found in most shallow habitats around Lizard Island.
Behaviour
Recent morphological and molecular research has indicated that the Siderastreidae are not monophyletic, with the genera Psammocora and Coscinaraea have more affinity with the Fungiids than other genera of Siderastreidae. In the genus Psammocora, there is almost complete overlap of morphological and phylogenetic characteristics of P. contigua and P. obtusangula, and the latter is now considered a junior synonym of P. contigua.
This species is a gonochoric broadcast spawner.
Web resources
References
- 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.
- Benzoni, F., F. Stefani, J. Stolarski, M. Pichon and P. Galli (2007). Debating phylogenetic relationships of the scleractinian Psammocora: molecular and morphological evidences, Contributions to Zoology, 76: 33-52.
- Domm, S.B. and W. Deas (1976). Corals of the Great Barrier Reef Ure Smith, Sydney. LIRS catalog number 5.
- View all references