Pillai and Jasmine 1989

8/8/2019 Pillai and Jasmine 1989

1/19

C M F R Ibulletin 43

APRIL 1989

M A R I N E L I V I N G R E S O U R C E SO F T H E U N I O N T E R R I T O R Y O FL A K S H A D W E E P -An Indicative SurveyWith Suggestions For Development

CENTRAL MARINE F ISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE( In d ia n C o u n c i l o f A g r ic u l t u ra l R e s e a rc h )P, B . No . 27 04 , E . R . G. Roa d , Co ch in -682 0 3 1 , Ind ia


2/19

Bu lletins are issued pe riodic ally by Central Marine Fisheries ResearchInstitute to interpret current know ledge in the various fields ofresearch on marine fisheries and allied subjects in India

Copyright Reserved

Published byP. S. B. R. JAMESDirector

Central Marine Fisheries Research InstituteCochin 6 8 2 0 3 1 , India

Edited byC. SUSEELAN

ScientistCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute

Cochin 6 8 2 0 3 1 , India

Limited Circulation


3/19

16. THE COR AL FAUNA OF LAK SHA DWE EP

C. S. Gopinadha P iilai and S. Jasmine

INTRODUCTIONDespite the early works of Gardiner (1904 ,

1905) and Piilai i l 9 7 1 , 1971a, 1986, 1986a,1987) the coral fauna of Lakshadweep, exceptfor Minico y, remained vir tual ly unknown tothe scien tif ic c omm unity. A . resume of coralsand coral reef research from this area is presented by Piilai (1987) along w ith a discu ssion on the structure and com position ofthe fauna . During the survey of the marineresources by the Ins titute , corals were alsocollecte d from the various islands in Lakshadweep, and the present report embodies theinformation thus gathered along w ith datagleened from early literature. A detailed tax-onom ic treatment of the various species isnot attempted in this comm unication . Thematerial w ill be described in future work. Anasterisk indicates a new record to this area.The classification adopted is that of Vaughanand Wells (1943) as modif ied by Wells (1956)

COMP OSITION OF THE CORAL FAUNAIn a previous paper, Piila i (1 98 7 ; reported a total of 78 species of corals divide d

among 31 genera from Lakshadweep wh ichwas based on Min icoy and Kil tan. O ut ofthese 27 genera and 69 species are herma-types and the rest ahermatypes. Piilai ( loc . cit^also fe lt that 40 to 45 genera o f coralssho uld occur in Lakshadweep. In the presentaccount a tota l of 104 scleractinian coralsdivide d among 37 genera are reported. Am ongthe non. scleractanians, Millepora. Helioporaan d Tubipora (The last mentioned forthe first time) are also recorded. Outof the 104 species of scleractinians, 26species includin g a few hitherto undescribedare new records to Lakshadweep wa ters.Alveopora, Polyphyllia, Cyphastrea, Echino-pora an d Tubastrea are the genera newlyrecorded. The present colle ctio n has alsoenchanced our knowledge of Montipora from

BULLETIN43 179


4/19

here wh ich was previously kno wn by a single species. However, a few wides pread butless comm on Indo Pacific genera such asCoscinarea, Siderastrea, Pachyseris, Oulophy-llia, Trachy phyllia, Myc edium , Oxyp oia, Plero-gyra an d Seriatopora stil l awa it detectionfrom the reefs of Lakshadweep.The fo llo w in g is a nume rical representatio n of the various genera and species ofscleractinians so far known from the differentislands of Lakshadweep. Details of dis trib ution of recorded genera are given below.

Island No.MinicoySuheliKavarattiKalpeniAndrothAgatt iBingaramAmin iKadamatKiltanChetlatBitraTotal forLakshadweepSubgenus

of genera2871811710515

2119236

371

No of species731138231527837

43425715

1031

The relatively lo w number of genera insome islands is not altogether a clear reflection of the paucity of the fauna. It can bedue to less intense colle cting . However, asort of natural variatio n in the com positionof the fauna at generic level seems to occurbetween M inic oy and the rest of the islandsin the archipelago. For example, D/p/oastrea,Podabacia and Lobophyllia occured in Minicoybut were not foun d in central and northernislands. l\Aontipora an d Cypfjastrea along withEchinopoia are recorded from northern islandswhile Cypfiastrea and Ectiinopora was neverseen in the shallow waters of Minic oy Theextreme south (Minicoy ) and north (Chetlat)have yielded the maximum number of generaand species.The authors are gratelul to Dr. P. S. B. R.

James, Director of the Ihiit itute for providingall facil it ies for the field trips an we ll as fo

perm itt ing to report on the corals collected fromLakshadweep durin g marine survey of islands.They also presonaliy thank Mr. George VargheseDirector of Lakshadweep Fisheries and hiscolleagues at Am ini, Kiltan, Kadmat and Chetlat for a ll the help rendered du ring the col l ection trips. The authors also thank the variousscientists of the institute w ho took pains toco llec t corals from m any islands under d i f f i cult situations.

THE CORAL FAUNACLASS. ANTHOZOAOrder SCLERACTINIASuborder ASTROCOENIINAFamily ThamnasteriidaeGenus Psammocora Dana, 1846

Psammocora contiguaFig 1

1797 (Esper)

Fig. 1. Psammocora contigusLocalities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, AgattiAmin i , Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat.Distribution: widely distributed throughout theIndo-Pacific from Red Sea to Tahiti.Remariis: This ramose species is fairly comm onon both the reef flats and lagoon shoals. Itis especially abundant at Che tlat lagoon whereit grows mixed with Porites (Synaraea) con-vexa among Heiiopora.

Psammocora digitate M ilne Edwards andHaime, 1851Localities: Minicoy, Amini and Chet lat .Distribution: From Seychelles to Fiji Islands.Remarks: This species is not common inLakshadweep. It was cellected fr om the innerrreefs.180 CMFRI


5/19

Psammocora fiaimeana Miln e Edwards andHaime, 1851Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratt i , Agatt i , AminiKadmat, Chetlat.Distribution: East coast of Afr ica , Red SeaMadagascar, Maldives, Lakshadweep, EastIndies, Great Barrier Reef, Cocos-Keeling islands Marashall Islands.Remarlfs: This encrusting species is foundover-grow ing dead coralline material in thelagoon. A few c olonies are lying free assubmassive nodules over growing the substratum.

Psammocora profundacella Gradiner, 1898Locaiities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, KadmatDistribution: South Africa, Mauritius, Lakshadweep, Andamans, Great Barrier Reef, Phil i ppines, Taiwan, Japan , Fun afuti, Fanningisland.Remarlis: Rare. Habitat the same as P. tiaim-eana. The relationship between these twoneeds further studies.

Family PocilloporidaeGenus Pociiiopora Lamarck, 1816

Pocillopora damicoinis (Linnaeus, 1758)Localities: Found fair ly common in all theislands of Lakshadweep.Distribution Widespread from Red Sea toHawaii in the Indo-Pacific.

Pocillopora ligulata Dana, 1846Localities Minicoy, Chetlat.Distribution: Maldives; Lakshadweep, PalauIsland, Marshall Island, Solomon Islands,Cook Islands, Hawaii.Remarks: Not very comm on. A few specimens were observed in Min icoy in 1969. Thespecific status of this species is stil l doubtful .Pociiiopora meandrina var nobilis Dana, 1846Fig 2Localities: Kalpeni, Androth. Agatt i , Amini,Kadmat and Chetlat.Distribution: Through o ut the Indo-Pacific b utnot Red Sea.

Remariis: Living colonies are not found insha llow waters . However dead branches arefou nd washed ashore especialay at the wind ward side of the islands indicating that itlives in deeper surf beaten habitat.

Fig. 2. Pociiiopora meandrina Var. nobilisPociiiopora eydouxi Milne Edwards andHaime, 1860.

Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Bitra.Distribution: A fairly widespread Indo-Pacificspecies from Lakshadweep eastward to Ha wa ii.Remarlis: Living colonies rarely found in shallow reefs. Dead branches foun d washedashore along with P. mean drina. nobilis.

Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis andSolander, 1786Localities: Minicoy , Suheli , Kalpeni, Bitra,Bangaram, A m ini , Kadmat, Bitra.Distribution: Red Rea (Scheer and Filia l, I9 8 3jto Hawaii and Cook Islands.Remarks: Lagoon and reef flats.

Genus STYLOPHORA Schweigger, 1819.Stylophora pistil ata (Esper, 1897)

Fig. 3Localities: Minicoy, Amini, Kadmat, Ki l tan,Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea eastward to Fiji andSamoa but not know n from the southeastcoast of India.Remarks: The genus Stylophora is rare inLakshadweep. Colonies were collected mostlyfrom the inner protectd reefs.

BULLETIN 4 3 181


6/19

Fig. 3. Stylophora pistillataFamily ACROPORIDAE Ve rrill, 1902

Genus ACROPORA Oken, 1815.Acropora intermedia (Brook, 1 891)

Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Agatti,Bangaram, Chetlat.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep, GreatBarrier Reef.Remarks: This arborescent species is foun dmixed with A. formosa in lagoon. These tw oare very close to each other except for th eangle of the radial coraliites.

Acropora formosa (Dana 1846)Localities; Found in all the islands.Distribution: East Africa eastward to Tuam otuArchipelago. Fairly common.Remariis. The hab itat is the same as A. intermedia.

Acropora ebrotanoides (Lamarck, 1816)Fig. 4

Localities : Minico y, Kavaratti , Androth, Am iniKadmat, Chetlat.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep, Singapore, Great Barrier Reef, Marshal} Island s,Tahiti, Cocos-Keeling Islands.Remariis: The species wh ich forms arborescentclusters wi th very thick main branches iscommon at the south side of the Min icoyatol l . On the reef flats the branches aremore stunted.

Acropora efflorescensLocalities: Minicoy, (Pi l la i , 1971)182

Fig. 4. Acropora abrotanoidesDistribution: Maldive s, Lakshadweep Singapore,Sri Lanka.Remarks: The species is rare in M inic oy . Onlyone colony was observed and co llecte d.

Acropora robusta (Dana, 1846)Locality: Minicoy.Distribution: Chagos to Tahiti.Remarks: This is the same as one reportedby Pillai (1987) as A conigera. The speciesis essen tially fo un d on reef flat w ith a largeencrusting base and thick stunted digitiformbranches.

Acropora teres (Verrill, 1866)Localities: Min icoy, Kalpeni, Ag atti: B itra. Butshould occur in all the islands.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep, ChinaSea, Philippines, Marshall Islands, Samoa.Remarks: Forms large arborescent colonies inthe deeper parts of the lagoo n It was veryabundant in the southern half of Minicoytill seventies. Mostly dead at present.

CMFRI


7/19

Acropora irregularis (Brook, 1892)Locality: Chetlat.Distribution: Rodriguez, Seychelles, Ma ldives,Lakshadweep, Cocos-Keeling Islands.Remarks. Only one colony was observed atthe reef front of th e lagoon reef of C hetlatin the deep groove.

Acropora corymbosa (Lamarck, 1816)Fig. 5

Fig. 5. Acropora corymbosaLocalities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Agatti,Amini , Kadmat, Kiltan and Chetlat. Probablyoccurs in all the islands.Distribution) Red Sea, and eastward to TuamotuArchipelago.Remarks: Lagoon shoals and reef fla t. Amicrohabitat for many economically importantsmall species of fishes.

Acropora hyacinthus (Dana, 1846)Localities: Found along with A. corymbosa inall localities.Distribution. Red Sea eastward to Tuom otuArchipelago.

Acropora nasuta (Dana, g1846)localities: Minicoy, Kalpeni, AndrothDistribution: Widespread from Red Sea eastwardto Tahiti .Remarks: Reef flat and lagoon shoals as smallcorymbose or caespitose colonies.

Acropora humiiis (Dana, 1846)Fig. 6Localities: Jh is "species occ urs jn 'a l l the atol ls.

Js4il#*le*;'-'-

^%fk'^^Fig. 6. Acropora humllls

It is fairly com mon both on lagoon and reeff lats.Distribution: A widespread and commonIndo-Pacific species.

Acropara squarrosa (Ehrenberg, 1834)Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti.Distribution: Red Sea, S eyche lles, Ma ldives,Lakshadweep, Philippines, Great Barrier Reef,Murray Island, Marshall Islands and Tahiti.Remarks: Not common.Acropora monticulosa (Brueggemann, 1879)

Localities: Kadmat, Chetlat.Distribution: Rodriguez, Lakshadweep, Eastern/Australia.Remarks: The iden tificat ion of this specieshere in tentative . It's relations hip w ith A:conlgera needs further study.

Acropora granulosa (M ilue Edwards andHaime, 1860)

Locality: Minicoy.Distribution: Red Sea, Mascarene, Arch ipelago ,Reunion, Maldives, Minicoy, Nicobar Islands,China Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Marshall Islands, Fij i , and Tahiti .

BULLETIN43 183


8/19

Remarks: A few specimens of this specieswas recorded from M inicoy in 1969 and reported under the name>4. ramableri (Pil iai 1971)Acropora echinata (Dana, 1846)

Localities: IVlinicoy, Kavaratti, Kalpeni andKiltan.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep, iVlarshaliIslnds, Samoa.Remarks: Not very comm on. Found in thedeeper parts of the lagoon.

Acropora aspera Dana, 1846Localities: M inico y, Kavaratti, Ag atti, BangaramAmini , Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetiat, Bitra.Distribution: Central Indian Ocean eastward toFiji.Remarks: Very common species through outLakshadweep both on lagoo n and reef flatsforming large thickets.

Acropora hemprichi (Ehrenberg, 1834)Locality: Minicoy.Distribution: Red Sea, East Afric a, MascareneMaldive s, M inico y, Sri Lanka, Great BarrierReef, Solomon Islands.Remarks: Rare. Was foun d mixed w ith otherAcropora in Minicoy lagoon.

Acropora indica (Brook, 1893)Localities: Min ico y, Kavaratti, Chetiat, Bitra.Distribution: Lakshad weep, east coast of In dia.Remarks; Isolated colo nies of th is species arefound on open reef flats and inner lagoonreefs.

Acropora palifera (Lamarck, 1816)Localities: Min icoy , Kavaratti, /Agatti, Banagaram,Amini , Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetiat.Distribution: Western Indian Ocean eastwardto Samoa.Remarks: A. palifera wit h large palmate branches is essentially a lagoon species throughout Lakshadweep. It is nowhere abundant,

Acropora forskali (Ehrenberg, 1834)Localities: Minicoy (Pi l la i , 1971) .Distribution: Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Maldives,Min icoy .

Remarks: Rare. One colony was collec ted fromMinicoy in 1969.Genus ASTREOPORA de Blainville, 1830Astreopora myrlophtfialma Lamarck, 1816

Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Chetiat.Disiribution: Widely distr ibuted in tropicalIndo-Pacific from Red Sea to the south Pacific.Remarks: Found along wi th massive Poriteson inner lagooh reefs. The species is comm onin Chetalt Island.

Astreopora listeri (Bernard, 1896)Localities: Amini, Kadmat, Chetiat.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep, NicobarIslands, Philipp ines , M arshall Islands, CookIslands.Remarks: The habitat is the same as A. myri-ophthalma

Genus MONT/PORA de Blainvi l leMontipora teberculosa (Lamarck, 1816)

Localities: Minicoy, Kadmat, Chetiat.Disiribution: Wide spread In do-Pa clfic speciesfrom Red Sea to Samoa.Remarks: Mo stly found as small encrustationson littoral reef flats.

l\/lontipora explanata Brueggemann, 1897Locality. Chetiat.Distribution: Mauritius, Lakshadweep, southeast coast of India.Remarks : This species was observed on theleeward reef flat of Chetiat island in fairnumbers. Larger colonies were up to 30 cm ingreater spread often with pink colour to thel iving coral lum.

Montipora turgescens Bernard, 1897Localities: Amini, Chetiat.Disttibution : Central Indian Ocean, GreatBarrier Reef, Solomon Islands, Philippines,Marshall Islands, Ellice Islands.Remarks : Found as enc rustations on reef fla t.

Montipora venosa (Ehrenberg, 1834)Locality: Amini, Chetiat.Distribution: From Red Sea eastwa rd ^Marshall Islands.Remarks : Rarely fou nd on reef fi at.

18 4 CMFRI


9/19

Monltipora ^// 'osa F(Pallas, 1766)Fig. 7 Distribution: Red Sea, Maldives, Lakshadw jepNicobar Islands, East Indies, Palau Islands and

Marshall Islands and Tahiti

Montipora foliosaLocaiities : Kadmat and Chetlat.Distribution : Indo-Pacif ic but not know n fromRed Sea.Remarlis: The species was found as formingsmall foliaceous colonies on the w indw ard sideof the reef at Kadmat. A few specimens fromChetlat from the same habitat was however,having closely set folia.

l\/lontipOf sp nov. 1A few specimens obtained from Kadmatcou ld not be placed satisfactorily to any of thekno wn species kn ow n to the authors. These

w ill be reported in a subsequent com mun ication.IVIontipora sp nov. 2

Locaiities : Am ini, Chetlat. Reef f lat.Suborder FUNGIINA Verril lFamily AGARICIIDAE GrayGenus P/4\/0A//!l Lamarck, 1893.

pavona variant Verril, 1801Fig. 8.

Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Androth,Kadmat, Kiltan Chetlat.Distribution : Red Sea throug out In do-P acific asfar east as Panama.Remar/(s: The species form small encrustationsin all habitats. It is much more comm on on thenorthern Lakshadweep Islands than at M inic oy .Display wid e range of skeletal variation s.

Pavona maldivensis (Gardiner 1905.)Localities: Minicoy (Gardiner, 1905), Chetlat.

Fig. 8- Pavona varians ,Remariis: Gardiner (1905) reported this speciesfrom Min icoy . But subsequent collections fromMin icoy did not include this species. Onespecimen in the present c ollection is doub tfullyplaced under this species.

Pavona duerdeni Vaughan, 1907.Localities : Minicoy, Kiltan and Chetlat.Distribution: Abd-el-Kuri, Seychelles, Maldives.Lakshadweep, Nicobar Islands, Great BarrierReef, Palau Islands, Ca rol! Islands, Mars hallIslands and Hawaii.Genus GARDINEROSERIS Scheer and Pilla i,

1974Gardineroseris planulata (Dana 1846)

Localities: Min icoy , Kavaratti. Kadmat, Chetlat.Distribution : Red Sea, eastward to easternPacific.Remar/(S : This species is foun d among lagoonshoals though not a conspicuous element of thecoral fauna.

Family FUNG IIDAE Dana, 1846Genus CYCLOSERIS Milne Edwards and Haime,

1849.Cycloseris sp

Locality .- Bangaram.Remarks : There is only one specimen in thecollec tion. Determ ination to species level israther diff icult.

BULLETIN43 185


10/19

Genus FUNGIA Lamarck, 1801Fungia scutaria Lamarck, 18 01 .

Fig. 9

Fig. 9. Fungia secutariaLocalities: Min icoy, Kavaratti , Suheli , And roth,Agat t i , Bangaram, Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan,Chetlat, Bitra.Distribution : Widespread Indo-P acific speciesfrom Red Sea to Tuamotu A rchipelago.Remarlis ; This is the most comm on species ofFungia foun d in Lakshadweep. Ofjen found inlagoon shoals among Acropra. At Chetlat andKadmat this species is extremely common.

Fungia somerviliai Grandiner, 1901.Locality: Minicoy.Distribution: Seychelles, Lakshadweep, Amira-ntee, Nicobar Islands, Andamans, Mergu i Archipelago, Sulu Sea.Remarks: A Single specimen was collec ted in1969 (Pill ai, 197 1). It was not found laterin M inico y nor the present collec tion includeany.Fungia danai M ilne Edwards and Haime, 1851Locality: Minicoy.Distribution: W ide spread from Red Sea toTahit i .Remarlfs: A few large specimens of this species were collected from the southern halfof the Minicoy lagoon in 1969. The presentcollection does not include any specimen ofthis species.

Fungia fungites ((Linnaues, 1758)Locilities: Minicoy, Suheli , Androth, Agatt i ,A min i , Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra.Distribution: k very widespread Indo-Pacific

species.Remarks: Generally foun d on lagoon shoalsin Lakshadweep.

Genus POLYPHYLUA Quoy andGaimard, 1830Polyphyllia talpina (Lamarck, 1816)

Locality: Kadmat.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep, Mergui,Archipelago , Andaman, Nicobar Islands, Singapore, Philipp ines, Japa n, Great Barrier reef,Palau Islands.Remarks : Only on e specimen of this speciesis obtaine d from Kadm at. The genus is rarein Lakshadweep reefs. It was foun d on theinner lagoon reef flat.

Genus PODABACIA Milne Edwards andHaime, 1849Podabacia crustacea (Pallas, 1766)

Locality: MinicoyDistribution: Red Sea east ward to TuamotuArchipelago.Remarks: This species is observed on ly atMin icoy near the Boaz Point towards thelagoon side at a site, where it is fair ly com mon .It has a restricted occurrence in M inico y.

Family PORITIDAE Gray, 1841Genus GONIOPOPRA de Blainvi l le, 1830

Thou gh this genus is not profuse in Lakshadweep, the collectio n include at least fourspecies. Two of them from the northern Lakshadweep appear to deserve new specificnames. They are listed here as sp nov 1 andsp nov 2.Goniopora stokesi Milne Edwards and Haime,

1860.Localities: Minicoy, Kadmat.Distribution : Red Sea, East Afric a, Seychelles,Ma ldives , Lakshadwe ep, East coast of India,Nicobar Islands, Mergui Archipelago, East Indies,Philippines.Remarks : This species is very conspicuo us inliving con dition by its large expanded polypsdurin g day time . It is rare in Lakshadweep.

Goniopora minor Crossland, 1952Locality: Minicoy, Kil tan.

186 CMFRI


11/19

Distribution : Red Sea, Seychelles, Ma ldives ,Lakshadweep, Sri Lanka, Great Barrier Reef,Phil ippines.

Goniopora sp nov. 1Locali ty : Amini, Kadmat, Ki l tan.

Goniopora sp. nov. 2Localities : Am ini, Ki l tan.

Genus PORITES Link, 1807The genus Porites is the most dom inantcoral on reefs in Lakshadweep thou gh the

number of species hithe rto recorded is relative lylow . Massive forms such as P. solida, P. luteaand P. iobata (tentative iden tification ) aredominant on reef flats e specially on the lagoonreefs in all the island s. The bran ching Poritessuch as P. andrewsi and P. {Synaraaa) convexaare essentially lagoo n forms. Two or three formsof Porites in the present collection could not beassigned to any named species kno wn to theauthors and appear to deserve new bino min alnames.

Porites solida (Forskal, 1775)Localities : Min icoy , Kavaratti, Am ini, Kadmat,Kil tan, Che tlat. This species should occur in allislands though not collected.Distribution : Red Sea to Hawaii.Remarks : Fa irly comm on often forms largemassive corallum .Porites lutea M ilne Edwards and Haime, 1860

Fig. 10

Fig. 10. Porites luteaLocal/ties: Minicoy, Suheli , Kavaratt i , Kalpeni,Agat t i , Amini, Kadmat, Chetlat, Bitra.BULLETIN43

Distribution: Red Sea eastw ard in the In do-Pacific as far east as Tuam otu Arch ipelag o.Remarks: Reef flats and lagoon , fair ly com mon .

Porites labotal Dana, 1846.Localtiies: Kavaratti, Am ini, Kadmat, K iltan,Chetlat, Bitra.Distribution : Lakshad weep, Nicobar IslandsGreat Barrier Reef, Ha wa ii, Galapagos Islands.

Porites lichen Dana, 1846.Localities: Minicoy, Suheli, Kavaratti, KalpeniKiltan, Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea to Samoa and Fiji.Remarks: Fairly comm on both on reef flat andlagoo n. Small en crusting to submassive co lonies occur in all habitats.

Porites sp nov. 1Localities: Amini, Kadmat, Chetlat.Bemarks: It is a massive species fair ly com mon .

Porites sp nov. 2Localities: Kadmat.Remarks: Corallum massive.

Porites andrewsi Vaughan, 1918Localities Minicoy, Kavaratt i , Kalpeni, Agatt i ,Bangaram, Amini, Kiltan, Chetlat, Kadmat.Distribution: Madagascar, Ma ldives, Lakshadwe ep, Nicobar Islands, Jav a, Palau IslandsMa rshall Islands, Solo mo n Islands, Great BarrierReef, Samoa, Fiji.Remarks; This ramose species of Porites isvery commo n in lagoon of most of the Lakshadweep atolls. How ever, it is rarely recordedfrom the reefs. Recently mass mo rtality tothis species also occurred in Min icoy andKiltan.

Porites minicolensis Pillai, 1969Locality. MinicoyDistribution: Known only by the type fromMinicoy.

Subgenus SYNARAEA Verr i l l , 1864The Subgenus Synaraee of Porites is

hitherto not recorded from Lakshadweep, thoughfoun d to be fair ly com mon in some of thenorthern Lakshadweep islands such as Chetlat.

18 7


12/19

It occurs in M inic oy near the Boaz Poin t.It is essentially a lagoon form found mixedwith Psamm ocora contlgua an d Pontes andrewsiin Chetlat, often forming large colonies 5 0 to60 cm in greater spread a nd height. Onlyone species as listed below is recorded.Porites {Synaraea) convexa (Verrill, 1864)

Fig. . 11

Fig. 11 . Pontes (Synaraea) canvexaLocalities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, ChetlatDistribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep' Singapore,Samoa, Tahiti.

Genus ALVEOPORA de Blainville, 1830The genus Alveopra does not includ e in thepresent col lec tion nor there is any record of thisgenus from Lakshadweep in literature . Thesenior author of this paper has examined aspecimen among the colle ction s of the museumat Kavaratti wh ich is tetente tively reported hereas fol lows,

Alveopora superficial is Pilla i and Scheer, 1976Locality: Kavaratti.Distribution: Maldives, Lakshadweep,.Suborder FAV IINA, Vaugham and W eels, 1943Family FAVIIDAE, Gregory, 1900.Genus PLESIASTREA Miln e Edwards and Haime,

Plesiastrea versipora (Lamarck, 1816)Localities: Minicoy, Kadmat, probably morewide spread in Lakshadweep.Distribution: Throughout Indo-Pacific fromRed Sea t o Fiji.Remarks: Gardiner (1904) mentioned itsoccurrence in Minicoy, but could not be re

collected. This species was fairly common onlagoon shoals in Kadmat.

Genus FAVIA Oken, 1815Favia stelligera (Dana, 1846)

Localities : Min icoy , K iltan, Chetlat.Distribution : Red Sea to Hawaii.Remarks : This small calicled Favia whichforms massive or columnar growth is rare inLakshadweep.

Favia pallida (Dana, 1846)F ig.M2

Fig. 12. favia pallidaLocalities : Minicoy, Amini .Distribution : Red Sea to Hawaii.Remarks: This is one of the most common Indo-Pacific fawa. However, it is not very conspicuousin Lakshadweep, It might occur more widelythan is recorded from the Lakshadweep atpresent.

Favia speciosa (Dana, 1846)Localities : Minicoy, Amini, Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea to Tuamotu Archipelago.

Favia favus (Forskal, 1775)Localities : Minicoy, Kavaratti.Distribution : Red Sea e astward to TuomotuArchipelago.Remarks: Rare. Ocurs on Reef flats and lagoo nshoals.

Favia valenclennesii (Milne Edwards andHaime, 1948)

Localities: Kiltan.

18 8 CMFRI


13/19

Distribution: Red Sea, Lakshadweep, G ulf ofMannar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Banda,Philippines , Taiw an, Great Barrier Reef, Japan,Marshall Islands, New Caledonia.Remarks : A dead specimen of this species wascollected from Kiltan from the eastern shore.Living specimens could not be obtained.

Genus FAVITES Link, 1807Like Favia, the genus Favites is also not avery conspicuous element of the coral fauna ofLakshadweep. Isolated and patchy colonie sare found both on reef and lagoon.

Favites abdita (Ellis and Solander, 17 86)Localities : Min icoy, Kavaratti.Distribution : Red Sea eastward to Fij i .

Favites complanata (Ehrenberg, 1834)Locality. Minicoy.Distribution : Red Sea, Lakshadweep, Southeast coast of India, G ulf of Ku tch, Aus tralia,New C aledonia, Tuamotu A rchipelago, Japan.Remarks : F. complanata and F. halicora is oneand the same and the species has a wid e dis tribution in the Indo-Pacif ic.

Favites flexuosa (Dana, 1846)Localities : Kadmat, Kiltan and Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea, Maldives, Lakshadweep,Nicobars, Gulf of Kutch, East Indies, Philippines,Japan, Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia,Solom on Islands, Marsh all Islands, Fiji andCook Islands.

FavUes pentagona (Esper, 1794)Locality : Minicoy.Distribution: Red Sea eastwa rd to newCaledonia.Remarks : Rare.

Favites melicerum (Ehrenberg, 1834)Locality: Minicoy, Kalpeni, Agatt i .Distribution: Red Sea, Maldives, Lakshadweep,Providence Island, Southeast coast of India,Mergui Archipelago, Cocos-Keeling Island, NewCaledonia.

Genus GON/ASTREA Milne Edwards andHaine, 1848Three species of Goniastrea occur in Lakshadweep of which one viz. G. australensis is anew record to this area. The genus is fairlycomm on in all microh abitats, except the

meandering australensis recorded only fromChetlat IslandGoniastrea retiformis (Lamarck, 1816)

Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Kadmat, Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea eastward to Samoa.Remarks: This species was very comm on inMinicoy at the northern end opposite to theOld Leper Colony till early seventies. Ho wever, they are mostly dead due to du mp ingor dredged soi l .

Goniastrea retiformis (Ehrenberg, 1834)Localities: M inic oy, Kavaratti, Kadmat, Chetlat.Remarks: Red Sea eastward to Samoa. Fairlycommon.

Goniastrea australensis (Milne Edwards andHaimo, 1857)

Locaiitr- Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea, Natai coast, SeychellesLakshadw eep, Lanka, Great Barrier Reef Kerm-adic Islands, New Caledonia.- Genus PLATYGYRA Ehrenberg, 1034

Platygyra daedalea (Ellis and Solander, 1786)Localities: Co llectio n includes samples fromMin icoy, Aga tti, Chetlat, Kalpeni, Am ini,Kilton and Chetlat. Sho uld occur in all theislands.Distribution: A w ide spread Indo-P acific species. '

Platygyra sinensis (M ilne Edwards andHaime, 1848)Localities: Found along with P. daedalea inall localit ies.Distribution: Similar to P. daedalea.

Genus LEPTORIA Milne Edwards andHaime, 1848The genus is mo noty pic. In Lakshadweep

BULLETIN 43 189


14/19

it is not very comm on thoug h can be collec tedfrom the inner reef flat and lagoon shoals.Leptoriaphrygia (Ellis and Solander, 1786)Fig. 13

' f i g . ' 13 Leptoria phrygiaLocaZ/tiesji^ Minic oy, Amini. '.Chetlat.Distribution: Widely distributed in theIndo-Pacif ic and known from almost all coral growingareas.

Genus HYDNOPHORA Fisher de Waldheim,1807.Hydnoptira microconos (Lamarck, 1816)

Localities : IVIinicoy, Suheli, Kavaratti, Kalpeni,Acat t i , Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat and Bitra.Ds'r tution : Red Sea, throug hout Indo-Pa cificupto C?' k Islands.Remarks : The genus Hydnopiiora is representedonly by H. microconos.Genus LEPTASTFiEA Milne Edwards and Haime,1848

Leptastrea bottae Milne Edwards and Haime,1849Locaiity: MinicoyDistribution ; Red Sea, Som aliland , Reun ion,Chagos, Maldives, Minicoy, Cocos-KeelingIslands, Philppines, China Sea, Great BarrierReef, New Caledonia, Marshall Islands, ElliceIslands, Ta hiti.Remarks: The present collec tion does notinclude samples of this species. The inclus ionof the species herein is based on early record byGardiner (1904).

Leptastrea purpurea (Dana, 1846)Localities : Minic oy, Kavaratti, Amin i, Kalpeni,

Kadmat, Kiltan and Chetlat.Distribution : Red Sea to Haw aii in the Ind o-Pacific.Remarks: This species differs from L. transversain larger calices and relatively more number ofsepta.

Leptastrea transversa Klunzinger, 1879Localities : Min icoy, Kavaratti, Am ini, Kadmat,Kiltan and Chetlat.Distribution: A common and wide spreadspecies of Leptastrea, Often found in all placeswhere L. purpurea occurs.

Genus DIPLOASTREA Matthai, 1914Dipioastrea heiopra (Lamarck, 1816)

Locality: MinicoyDistribution : Red Sea weas tward to Fiji andSamoa. It is not recorded from Southeast coastof India or Gulf of Kutch.Remarks: The genus is mo noty pic. It wasfound only in Min icoy among the LakshadweepIslands, that too at the northern part of thelagoon along the shore. (Pi l la i , 1 97 i) .CYPHASTREA M ilne Edwards and Haime, 1848

Cyphastrea seralia (Forskal, 1775)Localities: Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Agatti, Amini,Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat.Distribution: Widespread from Red Sea toHawaiiRemarks: Inspite of very intensive collectingover several years the species or the genus wasnot found in Min icoy, though it was fairlycommon in northern Lakshadweep, especially onlagoon reefs.

Cyphastrea? m icrophthalma (Lamarck, 1816)Localities: Suheli , Am ini.Distribution : Red Sea east ward to Tah iti.Remarks: A few specimens in the presentcollection display variation in the septalnumbers. Some calices show three cycles ofcomplete septa as in C. seralia while othershave only 28 as in microphthalma

Genus ECHINOPORA Lamarck, 1816The genus Echinopora is recorded for the firsttime from Lakshadweep.

19 0 CMFRI


15/19

The genus apparently does not occur in Mihicoy.Echinoporayamellosa (Esper.f l 795)Fig 14

Fig- U . Echinopora lamellosa^Localities: Kadmat. An droth .Distribution: Red Sea to Ta hit i. For details ofareas reference may be made to Scheer andPil lai. (1983).Remarics: Open reef fla t. Rare. Colon ies aresmall, sometimes with closely set flat folia.

Family OCULINIDAE Gray, 1847.Genus GALAXEA Oken, 1815.

Ga/axea fascicularis (Linn, 1758)Locaiities : Minicoy, Androth, Kadmat, Chetlat,KiltanDistribution : Red Sea eastwa rd to Fiji.

Family MERULINIDAE Verr i l ,1866Genus MERULINA Ehrenberg, 1834

Merulina ampliata (Ellis and Solander, 1786)Locality Minicoy.Distribution: Red Sea (Scheer and Pil l i, 1983 )to Samoa.Remarks: The genus Merulina does not includein the recent colle ction from Lakshadweep. Itsinclusion is based on Gardiner (19 05) . One ofus (Pillai) made carefull search for it at M inico yover a long period but failed to detect itspresence.

Family MUSSIDAE Ortmann, 1890.Genus LOBOPHYLLIA de Blainivi l le, 1830.

Lobophyll ia corymbose (Forskal, 1775)Locality: Minicoy.

Distribution: Red Siea to Ta hiti. But not kno wnfrom the southeast coast of India.Remarks: The genus Lobophyllia is knownfrom Lakshadweep only from Minic oy. Even atM inic oy it has a very restricted occurrence atthe northern tip of the lagoon where it was oncevery com mo n. It is almo st dead at present dueto dumping of dredged soil in the area.Genus ACANTHASTREA Milne Edwards and

Haime, 1848Acanthastrea echinata (Dana, 181 6;

Localities: Minico y, Kalpeni, Chetlat.Distribution : Red Sea to Tuamotu Archipelago.Remerks : Not common any where.

Genus SYMPHYLLIA Milne Edwards and Haime,1848The inc lusio n is based on early record by

Gardiner. The recent co llectio ns of corals fromLakshadweep do not include the genus

Symphyllia nobilis (Dana 1846)Local i ty : Min icoy.Distribution : Western Indian Ocean eastwardsto Samoa.Symphyllia radians Miln e Edwards and Haime,

1848Locality: Minicoy.Distribution : Mald ives, Lakshadweep, Gulf ofKutc h, Great Barrier Reef, Japan, Rotumana,Tongatabu.Suborder CARYOPHYLLINA Vaughan and Wells,

1943Family CARYOP HYLLIIDAE Gray, 1847Subfa mily CARYO PHYLLIINAE Gray, 1847

The two genera viz. Caryophyllia, Step-hanocyathus are listed here based on the deepwater collections of Investigator reported byAlcoc k (18 98, 1902) from the Laccadive sea.Caryophyllia is known by C. clavus Scacchi andC. araucta Milne Edwards and Haime. Stephana-cyathus is known by S. nobilis (Mosely). Alcock(1898) may be consu lted for the details.

9ULLETIN43 191


16/19

Subfam ily EUS MILIINE M ilne Edwards andHaime, 1857Genus EUPHYLLIA Dana, 1846

Euphyllia glabrescens (Chamisso and Eysenhardt,1821)

Localities : Minic oy, Chetlat.Disiribution: East Afr ica , Red Sea, Saya deMaiha, Maldive s, Lakshadweep, Sri Lanka,Nicobars, Mergui Archipelago, Singapore,Philippines, Japan, Great Barrier Reef, PalauIslands, Marsha ll Islands, New Caledonia,Rotuma.Remarlis: The genus is rare in Lakshadw eep.One colony was collected from Minicoy lagoonin 1969 and tw o from Chetlat in 1987 . InChetlat it is fou nd on the inner lagoon reef onthe sides of Heliopora.

Super fam ily FLABELLICAE Bourne, 1905Family FLABELLIDAE Bourine, 1905

Genus FLABELLUMFiabellum pavonium Alcock, 1902

Loc ality Lakshadweep sea (Alc ock ) Investigatorcollect ion.Suborder DENEROPHYLLIINAVaughan andWells, 1943

Family DENDROPHYLLIIDAEGenus TURBINARIA Oken, 1815One of the species of Turbinaria from thenorthern Lakshadweep co uld not be satisfactorilyassigned to any kno wn species. It is listed assp nov. and w il l be described in a later com municat ion.

Turbinaria masenterina (Lamarck, 1816)Localities : Minic oy, Kavaratti , Ag att i , Chetlat,KiltanDistribution: Red Sea, Rodriguez, Maldiv es,Lakshadweep, Caroline Island, Marshall islands.

Turbina/ia crater (PaUas, 1766)Localities: Agatti, Kadmat.Distribution : Central Indian Ocean to MarshallIslands.

Turbinaria sp novLoalities : Ag atti, Kadmat and Chetlat.

Remarks : The calices are level and large.Genus TUBASTREA Lesson, 1834

Tubastrea aurea (Quoy and Gaimard,1833)Locality: Chetlat.Distribution: Red Sea to Hawaii.Remarks: The species occurs on the leewardreef of Chetlat under b oulders . Livin g coralred in colour.

NON SCLERAC TINIAN CORALSAmong the non-scleractinian corals Heli

opora is the most dom inant genus in all reefsof Lakshadweep. Miliepora occurs in lagoon,whi le Tubipora is only once collected.Subclass OCTOCORALLIA Haeckel, 1866

Order STOLONIFERA Hickson 1883Family TUBIPOR IDAE Ehrenberg, 1820

Genus TUBIPORATubipora musica Linnaues, 1758

Locality: Bangaram.Disttibution: Red Sea through out Indian Oceanand Pa cific but not fou nd in southeast coastof India.Remarks: The genus wa s n ot observed inliving condition on any collec tion sites buta sm all dead fragment was obtained from theshore of Bangaram.

Order COEHOTHECALIA Bourne, 1895Family Helioporidae Mosely, 1876

Genus HELIOPORA de Blainvi l le, 1830^Heliopora coeruleaj (Pallas,^-1766)

Fig. i1 5

Fig, 15. Heliopora coerulea19 2 CMFRI
http://fig.i1/http://fig.i1/http://fig.i1/


17/19

Localities: Occurs in all the islands in fairnumbers especially on the lagoon reefs. A tM inico y and C hetlat the species covers exten sive areas.Distribution: Widespread Indo-Pacif ic species.

CLASS HYDROZOAOrder MILLEPORINA Hickson , 1901

Order MlLLEPORIDAE Flemming, 1828Genus IVIILLEPORA Linnaeus, 1758

Miliepota platyphyllia Ehrenberg, 1834

Locafities: Minicoy, Suhel i .Distribution: Red Sea to Tahiti

Miifepbra exe*a (Forskal, 1775)Localities: Minicoy, Suheli, Kalpeni, Agatti,Amini , Kadmat, ChetlatDisiribuiion: Red Sea to T uamotu Archipelago.

Millepora dichotoma (Forskal, 1775)Localities: Minicoy, Kavaratti, Amini, Kalpeni,Distribution: Red Sea to Tuam otu Archipela go.

Table. 1 . Dis tribu tion of recorded genera of corals from the differentislands in Lakshadweep

0) Q>_^ CD3

Localities> 00(Q Q)a 3;:: (Q a>S3

12. ?>;D)a30 ) Pi=:i O3 -C DC D OQs.-S1 8 9 10

Name of GenusPasammocora Dana XPociilopora Lamarck XStylophora Schweigger XAcropora Oken XMont/pora de Blainvil le XAstreopora de Blainvil le XPavona Lamarck yGardineroseris scheer andPillai XCycloseris Fungia Lamarck , XPolyphylfia Q & G Podabacia MED-H XPorites Link XGoniopora de Blainville XAlveopora de Blainville...... Plesiatrea MED-H XFavia Oken XFavites Link XBULLETIN 43

X XX X X

X X XX

X X X X

X X -

X X X

X

X ^ X X

- X - X XX X X X X

- - - X XX X X X X

- - X X- - - X XX - - X- - - X

X X X X X_ _ _ _ X

X X X XX X

XX -

X

XXXXX

X

XX

XX

11 12

X -X XX X -X X -X -X

X X _

19 3


18/19

1 8 9 10 11 12Goniastrea IVIED-H XPlatygyra Ehrenberg XLeptor/a MED-H XHydnophora de Waldheim XLeptastrea MED-H XDiploastrea. Matthai XCyphastrea MED-HEchinopora Lamarck Galaxea Oken XMerulina Ehrenberg XLobophyllia Blainvi l le XAcanthastrea MED-H XSymphyllia MED-H XCaryophyllia Lamarck Stephanocyathus Seguenza Flabellum Lesson Euphylli Dana XTubastrea Lesson.... Turbinaria Oken XNon Scleractinian CoralsMlllepora Linnues XHellopora Blainvi l le XTubipora Ehrenberg

- X

XX

XX

- XX

XX X

X X X X

X

XXXX

X

XX

X- X

X

XXXXX

X

X

X - -

X X XX X XX -

X

X -

X

XX

X

XX

XX

XX

X

X

XXX

XX

X

XX

X

XX

XXX

XX

X ca recorded = not recorded and not a negative indication of its occurrenceREFERENCES

ALCOCK, A. 189 8. 1898. An ac count of thedeep sea Madreporaria collected by theRoyal Indian marine survey ship"Invest igator". Indian Museum Calcutta : 1-29, pia. 1-3.ALCOCK, 1902. 1902 A naturalist In Indian seas ,or four years with the Royal IndianMarine survey ship "Investigator''.John Murry London 328 pp.GARDINER, J. S. 1904. Madreporaria Pt. 2.Astreidae Fauna and geography of the

Maldiveand Laccadive Archipelagoes.Vol . 2: 758-790 pi. 59-64.

GARDINER, J . S. 1905 Madreporaria Pt. 3.Fungida. Ibid., Vol. 2 : 933-957, p is,89-93.PILLAI, C. S. G. 19 7 1. D istribution of shallowwater stony corals at Min icoy A to ll inthe Indian Ocean. Atoll. Res. Bull,wash., 141: 1-12.PILLAI, C. S. G. 1971a. Composition of thecoral fauna of the southeastern coast ofIndia and the Laccadives. In: Regional

194 CMFRl


19/19

venation in Indian Ocean coral reefs.Symp.Zooi. Soc. Land.. 28: 301-327Academic press.PILLA I, C. S. G. 1986 Recent corals from thesoutheast coast of India, in Recentadvances in l\/larine Biology. Today andtomorrow's printers and publishers NewDelhi. : 107-201.PILLA I, C. S. G. 1986 a. Status of coral reefs inLakshadweep. Mar. Fish, infor. Serv.T.aE ser. 68: 38-41,PILLAI, C. S. G. 1987 . Structure and genericdiversity of recent scleractinia of India.J. Mar, biol. Ass. India, 25 (1 & 2) :78-90.

PILL AI, C. S. G and G. SCHEER 197 6 Report onthe stony corals from the MaldiveArchipelago. Zoologica (Stuff) 126 :1-83, pis. 1-32.

SCHEER, G and C. S. G. PILLA I. 1983. Reporton the stony corals from Red Sea Ibid.,133: 1-193. p is. 4 1 .

VAU GHA N, T. W. and J . W. WELLS. 1943.Revision of the suborders, families andgenera of scleractiuia. Spec. pap. Geol.Soc. Am.. 44 : 1-363.WELLS, J. W. 1956. Scleract in ia. I n : TreatiseIn Invertbrate Paientolaogy pt. F. 32 8-

444. un iv. Kansas press.

Pillai and Jasmine 1989

Documents

Transcript of Pillai and Jasmine 1989