Training Manualon Corals Taxonomy
in Southeast Asia
Published by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity in collaboration
with Universiti Sains Malaysia, Biodiversity Center,
Ministry of Environment – Japan and the Japan Wildlife Research Center.

April 2011

Technical Editors
Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai
Mr. Abe Woo
Dr. Hironobu Fukami
Dr. Kohei Hibino
Dr. Filiberto Pollisco, Jr.
EditorRolando A. Inciong

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
3/F ERDB Building, UPLB Forestry Campus
Los Baños, Laguna, Philippineswww.aseanbiodiversity.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iii
Messages
Prof. Shukri Mustapa Kamal ..............................................................................................................................................................................iv
Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and International Affairs
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes ............................................................................................................................................................................................... v
Executive Director
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
Mr. Tomoo Mizutani ......................................................................................................................................................................................................vi
Director, Biodiversity Center of Japan
Ministry of the Environment, Japan
1.0 Background and Rationale ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 Objectives of the Training Workshop ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.0 Organization of the Training Course ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
4.0 Participation ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3
5.0 The Training Course......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
6.0 Outputs ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
7.0 Evaluation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
8.0 Module ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
8.1 Basic taxonomy of animals .................................................................................................................................................................... 11
8.2 Coral biology and coral ecology..................................................................................................................................................... 13
8.3 Taxonomy of the zooxanthellate Scleractanian corals....................................................................................... 14
8.4 Taxonomy of corals (Families and Genera)..................................................................................................................... 21
8.5 Problems of taxonomy of the reef-building corals ................................................................................................ 57
8.6 Specimen preparation technique for identification ............................................................................................... 58
8.7 Museum collection, management, cataloging and storing.......................................................................... 60
Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61

FOREWORDT

his Coral Taxonomy Manual is an offshoot of the Training Workshop on Coral
Taxonomy held at the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, on 4 – 8 December 2010, as
part of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund project “Taxonomic Capacity Building andGovernance for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity” implemented by ASEAN
Centre for Biodiversity.
The objectives of the workshop were to upgrade the skills of the participants in coraltaxonomy; introduce advanced taxonomic methodologies to the participants; and provide
hands-on experiences. The participants were from all the ASEAN Member States. The
workshop was made possible by the Ministry of the Environment Japan, ASEAN Centre for
Biodiversity and Universiti Sains Malaysia.
This manual has been prepared based on the lecture notes presented by the trainers
during workshop. It provides methodology to sample specimens and identifies features ofthe main group of reef building corals.
Most of the photographs and drawings used in this manual were taken from Veron(2000) Corals of The World and Walace (1999) Staghorn Corals of the World. Some of thephotos were contributed by Dr. Hironobu Fukami.
This manual is envisioned to encourage researchers and students to develop a better
understanding on the diversity of coral fauna associated with tropical coral reefs. Perhaps,
this will inspire a new generation of coral taxonomists as the world needs them tocontribute to the sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

iii

MESSAGE

Prof. SHUKRI MUSTAPA KAMAL
Deputy Vice Chancellor
for Academic and International Affairs
Universiti Sains MalaysiaI

t is my pleasure to welcome you to the “International
Training Workshop on Coral Taxonomy” at Universiti
Sains Malaysia.
We are well aware that human activities especially in
our coastal areas deeply affect the natural environment. The
lack of hard scientific information is a glaring handicap in
our understanding and prediction of the impacts of these
activities. As the human population increases in our coastal
cities and the use of our seas continue to escalate the issueof sustainable use of these resources become more critical.
Malaysia in particular relies heavily on its coastal living
resources. It is important for us to understand the criticalprocesses, status and diversity of these resources for us tobe able to use them wisely.
We cannot now take for granted that these resources
will tolerate more of man’s abuse. It is therefore essentialthat in our desire to sustain or even improve our natural
ecosystems we emphasize the fundamental knowledge
required to understand these living worlds – theknowledge of taxonomy. In order to understand the corals
we first have to know them.
The training workshop on coral taxonomy is timely.
Coral reefs are one of the most endangered living systems
on earth today. Global warming, rise in sea temperatures
and widespread bleaching of corals are now familiar topics
making headlines across the globe. These headlines comein different guises - changing weather patterns, freakstorms, failed crops and the crash in fisheries.
We rely heavily on our scientists to advise us on what
to do to remedy this situation and to prepare for the future.
Many of these issues cannot be solved by one nation. It is
no accident that we gather the young brains from ten nations
to be with us today in this workshop in hope that they
continue in this mission to better the future of our seas.
Universiti Sains Malaysia as a premiere research
university in this country is proud to co-host this meetingwith the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and the Ministryof Environment of Japan.
Our due appreciation must go to the local secretariat
whose hard work has made this event possible.
May you have a successful workshop and may yourstay here be a pleasant one.
Thank you.

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Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

MESSAGE

Mr. RODRIGO U. FUENTES
Executive Director
ASEAN Centre for BiodiversityT

he dynamic growth of ASEAN Member States,
China, Japan Korea (ASEAN + 3) in recent years has
increased the pressure on their natural resources. Humanactivities, the driving force behind the regional growth,threaten biological resources. Lack of scientific information
on biodiversity in this region is a crucial issue in theassessment and prediction of biodiversity changes, caused
mainly by the lack of taxonomic capacity in data collection
and analysis. The lack of trained human resources andinadequate capacities on taxonomy in the ASEAN Member
States has been identified as an obstacle in meeting theircommitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity(CDB).
Adequate taxonomy is also one of the necessary
fundamental tools required for the global community to
be able to implement the Millennium Development Goals
and the development targets from the World Summit
for Sustainable Development. Without adequate longterm investment in the human, infrastructural (including
important biological collections) and information resources
necessary to underpin the science of taxonomy, the now
well-recognized taxonomic impediment will continue toprevent adequate implementation of sound, scientificallybased sustainable, environmental management anddevelopment policies.
To meet the challenge of inadequacy in taxonomy,
the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and Ministryof the Environment of Japan, through the Japan-ASEAN
Integration Fund, launched the “Taxonomic Capacity
Building and Governance for Conservation and Sustainable Useof Biodiversity Project”. At the project inception workshop
held in Manila on 31 August – 1 September 2010, theparticipating ASEAN Member States identified three
training concerns, one of them on the taxonomy of corals.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asiav

MESSAGE

Mr. TOMOO MIZUTANI
Director, Biodiversity Center of Japan
Ministry of the Environment, JapanT

he Southeast Asia region includes the highest coral
diversity in the world known as the Coral Triangle
area. Yet coral reefs and related ecosystems in the region
are under serious threats mainly due to rapid increaseof human pressures and demands on coastal resources
together with recent mass coral bleaching events caused byincreased water temperatures. These evidences have been
continuously stressed in the CBD and one of the obstacles
identified under the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI)
was the lack of trained human resources and inadequate
capacities on taxonomy.
The regional needs assessment conducted in 2009 aspart of the ESABII – a new regional initiative aiming
to develop biodiversity information system and raisingtaxonomic capacity in the region – revealed that a capacity
building of coral taxonomy is one of the priority areas tobe addressed. From these backgrounds, a joint training
workshop on coral taxonomy has been proposed as partof ESABII Work Plan 2010-2011 by the Japanese Ministryof the Environment together with the ASEAN Center for
Biodiversity funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund
(JAIF).
This five-day training workshop held in Universiti Sains
Malaysia aims to provide upgraded skills and hands-on
experiences on advanced taxonomic methodologies toselected young scientists from the ASEAN Member States.
The ESABII programme and its partners are expecting tocontinue providing these taxonomic training opportunities
in the region to contribute in achieving the goals of the
CBD.

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Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

1.0 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
Adequate taxonomy is one of the necessary
fundamental tools required for the global community
to be able to implement the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and the development targets set by
the World Summit for Sustainable Development.
Without adequate long-term investment in the human,
infrastructural (including, important biological collections)and information resources necessary to underpin
the science of taxonomy, the now well-recognizedtaxonomic impediment will continue to prevent adequate
implementation of sound, scientifically-based sustainable
environmental management and development policies.
Inadequate capacities on taxonomy, including the lackof trained human resources, has been stressed as one ofthe obstacles in the implementation of commitments to
the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), especiallyin the ASEAN region.
The dynamic growth in recent years by the ASEAN
region, together with China, Japan and South Korea(ASEAN + 3), has increased the pressure on the region’s
natural resources. Human activities, the driving force
behind the regional growth, threaten the rich biologicalresources. Lack of scientific information on biodiversity
in this region is a crucial issue in the assessment andprediction of biodiversity changes, caused mainly by thelack of taxonomic capacity in data collection and analysis.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

1

Decision IX/22 of the 9th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBDCOP-9) urged Parties to promote and carry-out the Programme of Work for the Global
Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) through coordination of implementation with existing national,
regional, sub-regional, and global initiatives, partnerships and institutions; designation ofnational GTI focal points; provision of updated information about legal requirements forexchange of genetic/biological specimens and about current legislation and rules for accessand benefit-sharing; and initiatives in setting-up national and regional networks to aid theParties in their taxonomic needs in implementing the CBD.
To push the GTI programme of work, a series of GTI workshops were conducted invarious venues: Central America and Africa in 2001, Asia in 2002, and Asia-Oceania in
2004 (Wilson et al., 2003; NIES, 2005). However, as far as the CBD Secretariat is concerned,
the 2002 GTI Workshop is the First GTI Regional Workshop followed by the Second GTI
Regional Workshop for Asia-Oceania in 2004.
It is in these contexts that the project entitled “Taxonomic Capacity Building andGovernance for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity” proposed by ASEAN Centre
for Biodiversity (ACB) was approved by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) in
July 2010. A similar taxonomic capacity building project was also planned by Biodiversity
Center of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. These two projects were offshootsof the ASEAN+3 Regional Workshop on Global Taxonomy Initiative held in May 2009 andadopted as activities in the 2010-2011 Work Plan of the East Asia and Southeast Asia
Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII). An Inception Meeting/Workshop was
conducted in Manila, Philippines last on 31 August – 01 September 2010 to provide
directions and work out the details of jointly organizing these projects. The workshop
identified three training topics to be conducted. One of them is the taxonomy of corals.
The experts agreed to conduct the workshop in December 2010, hence this activity.
The Ministry of the Environment of Japan is also planning to conduct taxonomic
capacity building training workshops in accordance with the ESABII Work Plan 2010-2011.
As a joint activity, the collaboration between ESABII and the ACB-JAIF project is evident
in this training workshop.

2.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING WORKSHOPThe training workshop was aimed at capacitating participants in the rigors of taxonomy,
especially on the corals group. Specifically, the training workshop:• introduced the participants to the reef-building corals, specifically the Phylum
Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia;• familiarized the participants with the general biology of these reef-building corals;• upgraded the taxonomic skills of the participants on the methods of morphologicalobservation, sample collection, processing and managing, and photography of corals;• introduced the participants to advanced taxonomic methodologies such as moleculartechniques, photo-identification, and use of Internet; and• provided hands-on experience on museum collections management, cataloguing andstorage.

3.0 ORGANIZATION OF THE TRAINING COURSE
The training course was organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the Ministryof the Environment of Japan/Japan Wildlife Research Center (JWRC), and the Universiti
Sains Malaysia (USM). The training course was held at the Marine Science Laboratory,
School of Biological Sciences of the USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

2

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

4.0 PARTICIPATION
Thirty participants represented the nine ASEAN Member States (AMS): Brunei
Darussalam – 3, Cambodia – 4, Indonesia – 4 Lao PDR – 4, Malaysia – 3, Philippines – 3,
Singapore – 4, Thailand – 4, and Viet Nam – 1. There were five resource persons: USM – 2,
Japan – 2, and Thailand – 1; and ten observers: Japan – 2, Malaysia – 2, Indonesia – 1, and
USM – 5; and Four staff from the organizers: ACB – 3 and JWRC – 4.
The list of participants is presented in Appendix A.

5.0 THE TRAINING COURSE
The training course was subdivided into ten lecture sessions and ten laboratory/handson sessions. The topics of the lecture sessions are shown in the programme below:

DAY 1 (4 December 2010, Saturday)
08:30

Registration (DK U)

09:00

Welcome Address by Prof. Shukri Mustapa Kamal, Deputy Vice
Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs) Universiti Sains Malaysia

09:20

Introduction and Background by Mr. Kohei Hibino, Japan Wildlife
Research Center; and Dr. Filiberto A. Pollisco, ASEAN Centre for
Biodiversity

09:50

Group photo

10:00

Refreshment

10:30-10:40

Introduction of Participants

10:40-12:00

Lecture 1: General taxonomy of animals

12:00-13:00

Lunch

13:00-14:30

Lecture 2: Basic taxonomy of corals

14:30-14:45

Break time

14:45-16:30

Lecture 3: Taxonomy of corals (families and genera) Part 1

DAY 2 (5 December 2010, Sunday)
08:30

Registration

09:00-10:30

Lecture 4: Taxonomy of corals (families and genera) Part 2

10:30-10:45

Break time

10:45-12:00

Lecture 5: Problems of coral taxonomy

12:00-13:00

Lunch

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia3

13:00-15:00

Lecture 6: Sample collection, processing and managing
Laboratory Work 1: Sample collection, processing and managing

15:00-15:15

Break time

15:15-17:00

Lecture 7: Sample processing for advanced techniques (SEM
Observation)

19:00

Group Dinner

DAY 3 (6 December 2010, Monday)
08:30

Registration

09:00-10:30

Lecture 8: General biology of reef building corals

10:30-10:45

Break time

10:45-12:00

Laboratory Work 2: Sample processing; observation of specimens
identified by authorities

12:00-13:00

Lunch

13:00-15:00

Laboratory Work 3: Sample processing; observation of specimens
identified by authorities (cont.)

15:00-15:15

Break time

15:15-17:00

Laboratory Work 4: Photographing samples, observation of specimens
identified by authorities (cont.)

DAY 4 (7 December 2010, Tuesday)
08:30

Registration

09:00-10:30

Lecture 9: Advanced taxonomic methods (Molecular techniques)

10:30-10:45

Break time

10:45-12:00

Laboratory Work 5: Trial to identify specimens prepared in theworkshop

12:00-13:00

Lunch

13:00-15:00

Laboratory Work 6: Trial to identify photo samples (Part 1)

15:00-15:15

Break time

15:15-17:00

Laboratory Work 7: Trial to identify photo samples (Part 2)

DAY 5 (8 December 2010, Wednesday)

4

08:30

Registration

09:00-10:30

Lecture 10: Museum collection management, cataloguing, storage

10:30-10:45

Break time

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

10:45-12:00

Laboratory Work 8: Writing description of a species

12:00-13:00

Lunch

13:00-15:00

Laboratory Work 9: Presentation of accomplishments

15:00-15:15

Break time

15:15-17:00

Laboratory Work 10: Presentation of accomplishments (cont’d)

17:00-17:30

Closing Programme• Presentation of certificates of participation• Closing remarks

19:00-21:00

Group Dinner

At the end of the course, the participants presented their taxonomy assignments andtheir impressions. Most of the participants were able to identify their assigned coral species.
The expert panel, composed of the trainers/resource persons, pointed out the errors in
identifying the coral specimen.

6.0 OUTPUTSThe outputs of the training workshop were the following:
1. Skills of the participants in corals taxonomy upgraded
2. Advanced taxonomic methodologies introduced
3. Hands-on experience in collections management, cataloguing and storage provided

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

5

7.0 EVALUATIONAt the beginning of the workshop, the participants filled out the pre-training evaluation
form to determine their backgrounds, as well as their expectations. The pre-training
evaluation form is shown below:

Taxonomic Capacity Building and Governance for the Conservationand Sustainable Use of Biodiversity
TRAINING WORKSHOP ON CORALS TAXONOMY
PRE-TRAINING EVALUATION
Instructions: Please fill out the following questions prior to attending the training session. We
will refer to this form at the beginning of the training.
NAME:
ORGANIZATION / AGENCY:
COUNTRY:POSITION:
What skills / knowledge / behavior do you want to develop by attending this training
workshop?


What do you expect to see / hear / feel differently by developing the above skills / knowledge/ behavior?


How will it benefit your job performance by developing the above skills / knowledge /behavior? (Be as specific as possible)How do you want others to relate to you after attending the training workshop?





6

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

What do you feel you are currently not achieving due to the under development of the above
skills / knowledge / behavior?

What are your personal learning goals? What do you really want to learn from this training
workshop? Be specific, with a maximum of 3  (if you can only list 1, that is ok)

What are your Supervisors expectations from you in attending the training workshop?

What other expectations do you have of this training workshop? Please provide any othercomments you would like to make prior to attending the training workshop.
Please hand a completed copy of this form to the Trainer one week prior to thecourse.
Many thanks for your assistance.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

7

At the end of the workshop, the participants filled in the post-training evaluation
form to determine the outcomes of the workshop in terms of knowledge gained by theparticipants, as well as their personal learning goals. The post-training evaluation form isshown below:

Taxonomic Capacity Building and Governance for the Conservation andSustainable Use of Biodiversity
TRAINING WORKSHOP ON CORALS TAXONOMY
POST-TRAINING EVALUATION
Instructions: The Post-training Evaluation is in two (2) parts. Part I refers to the process andsubstance of the training workshop. Part II makes reference to the Pre-training Evaluation thathas been previously filled-up by the trainee.
NAME:
ORGANIZATION / AGENCY:
COUNTRY:POSITION:
PART I. PROCESS & SUBSTANCE OF THE TRAINING WORKSHOPThe Top 3 BEST training lectures for me were:1.
2.
3.
Kindly check on the appropriate column to rate your BEST lecture / session.
Excellent1.

My understanding of thislesson was:The practicality of thislesson for my work is:
The instructors knowledgeof the subjects was:
The instructors skill inpresenting this lesson was:2.

My understanding of thislesson was:The practicality of thislesson for my work is:
The instructors knowledgeof the subjects was:
The instructors skill inpresenting this lesson was:8

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Good

Fair

Poor

Excellent
3.

Good

Fair

Poor

Less timespent on thesubject

This wasjust right

Yes

No

My understanding of thislesson was:The practicality of thislesson for my work is:
The instructors knowledgeof the subjects was:
The instructors skill inpresenting this lesson was:Time AllottedMore timespent on thesubject
1.

For this lesson I
would like:2.

For this lesson I
would like:3.

For this lesson I
would like:Yes or No

1.

This lesson was easy to understandThis lesson will help me in my daily job
I would like more lessons on this subject

2.

This lesson was easy to understandThis lesson will help me in my daily job
I would like more lessons on this subject

3.

This lesson was easy to understandThis lesson will help me in my daily job
I would like more lessons on this subject

Which of the training lectures / sessions need to be further improved? Please elaborate whichaspect needs to be given attention (time allotment, clarity of topic, instructor/trainer expertise,processes/methodologies used).

Kindly provide your recommendations to further improve the training lecture/session.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

9PART II. FROM PRE-TRAINING EVALUATION
What were your personal learning goals?
1.
2.
3.
Looking at each goal separately, list below the learning and results for each goal sinceattending the training.
1.
2.
3.
What was your biggest learning experience since attending the training?

What skills/knowledge/attitude do you have now, that you didnt have before attending thetraining? What will you be able to do better after acquiring such skills/knowledge/behavior
since attending the training workshop?

What changes will you do to apply what you have learnt from the training workshop into
your day-to-day job? Please be specific.

What support do you need from your Supervisor and colleagues to make the above real foryou in your job?


Do you have any other comments about the training workshop?

Please hand a completed copy of this form to the course Trainer one week after the course.
Many thanks for your assistance.

Most of the feedback centered on the relevance of the course to the participants’ work.
Many of the participants admitted they attended the course with little knowledge in coraltaxonomy and were grateful for the enhanced skills resulting from the workshop.

10

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

8.0 Module
The training course was subdivided into 10 lecture sessions and 10 laboratory/hands-on
sessions. The topics were:
1. General taxonomy of animals
2. General biology of reef building corals
3. Basic taxonomy of corals
4. Families and genera of corals – Part 1
5. Families and genera of corals – Part 2
6. Problems in coral taxonomy
7. Sample collections, processing and managing
8. Advanced taxonomic methods (molecular techniques)
9. Sample processing for advanced techniques (SEM)
10. Museum collection management, cataloguing and storage

8.1 Basic Taxonomy of Animals
What is taxonomy?
Humans generally categorize things using their common features and separatingeach of them into unique groups. Such grouping, based on common characteristics, isknown as “classification”. Taxonomy is a subject of biology that classifies organisms andmakes taxonomic hierarch system based on common biological (mostly morphological)
characteristics.
• There are 3 stages in taxonomy: (α J β J γ)
 α – Most primitive stage of taxonomy which recognizes species and gives scientificnames based on description. This is the first step before step β and γ.
 β – A stage to analyze the phylogenetic relationship among taxa.
 γ- Taxonomy pursues to understand mechanism that allows producing thebiodiversity recognized through α taxonomy.

Biological Species Concept
Species, the smallest unit in taxonomy, is a group of individuals that realistically or
potentially crossbreed and reproductively isolate from other groups.
There is a limit to the biological species concept:• Not applicable to species without sexual reproduction• Not applicable to extinct species• Not realized whether or not there is reproductive isolation among populations
isolated geographicallyClassification system was first proposed by C. Linné (or C. Linnaeus) hence called the
Linnaean classification system.

Identification of Species
Names of the specimens collected are searched by referring to the Linnean classification
system: a process called identification.
In the classification system, type specimen is pointed out for each species; its biologicalcharacteristics are described and published. After these steps, the species name becomesvalid. If the specimen does not match the existing identification system, description of the
new species needs to be done and added to the system.

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)
There is a strict rule to give a scientific name to a certain taxon. All names given to a
species is subjected to this code.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

11

Binomial Name and Binomial Nomenclature
The method describing species name was established by C. Linné when he published“Systema Naturae ver. 10” in January 1, 1758. He used “binomial name” in the publication.
Under this system, each species has a generic name (noun) and a specific name (adjective).
For example, the scientific name for common octopus is written as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier,
1791.
Both the generic and specific names should be italicized and the first character in thegeneric name is in capital letter. After the binomial name, the author’s name and the yearof nomination are added.
If one species has two scientific names, the name published earlier is considered valid
and the latter name is treated as “synonym”. If two species have the same scientific name(homonym), the species described earlier holds the original name and the other will begiven a new species name. If one species has two names with condition that the older nameis never used for more than 50 years; the name will be declared invalid and the younger
name will be used the valid name

Phylogenetic Tree
Phylogenetic tree or dendrogram is used to show evolutional history of organisms.
Pioneered by E. Heckel when he formulized the idea from the origin of organisms, threemajor groups emerged (plant, animal and protozoa).
A

B

C

D

time

Taxa are arranged horizontally and time is vertically. Upper area means it is close topresent and lower area is in the past. Lines mean evolutional relationship where nearer topresent and means relationship is tighter. Further explanation on phylogenetic tress can beobtained in the presentation included in Appendix B.

12Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

8.2 Coral Biology and Coral Ecology
General Coral Biology• There are four ‘biodiversity hotspots’ in Southeast Asia: Indo-Burma, the Philippines,
Wallacea, Sundaland.
• There are three ways of nutrient uptake by corals namely: direct feeding by the polyp,
zooxanthellae-coral symbiosis, and nutrient absorption.
• Details of reef formation and coral nutrition are illustrated in Appendix C.
• Mass extinction and geological time in relation to corals are described in Appendix C.

Coral Ecology: An introduction to issues• Coral growth is NOT equivalent to reef growth.
• Both coral growth and reef formation require different conditions:
Coral GrowthReef Formation

Intermediate temperature

High temperature

Not full strength salinity

Full strength salinity

Hard substrate

Hard substrate

Lighted environment

Lighted environment
CaCO3 deposition higher than accretion

Sea level, sea surface temperature, sedimentation and acid acidification threats to theecology of coral reef are further discussed in Appendix D.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

13

8.3 Taxonomy of the Zooxanthellate Scleractinian Corals
Scleractinian Coral Notes• Scletactinian corals are divided in zooxanthellate and azooxanthallete with bothhaving around 750 species in each group.
• Most zooxanthellate corals are hermatypic (reef building) but do also consist of someahermatypic species (e.g. Cladocora caespitosai). Likewise, azooxanthallate do also havehermatypic species (e.g. Tubastrea micranthus) but in smaller number as compared to
the larger group of ahermatypic species in azooxanthellate corals.
• Figure __ shows the general structure of the polyp nad underlying skeleton.

Figure 1. The general structure of polyp and underlying skeleton

Glossary of Coral Morphological Terms• Corallite: the skeleton of an individual polyp• Calice: the upper surface of a corralite bounded by the wall
• Corralum (plural: corolla): the skeleton of a colony

Figure 2. Diagram showing the difference of corallite, calice and corallum

14

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

• Septum (plural: septa): radial skeletal elements projecting inwards from the corallite
wall• Costa (plural: coastae): radial skeletal elements outside the corallite wall
• Wall (theca): the skeleton enclosing a calice

Plesiastrea versipora
Figure 3. Diagram showing the difference of septum, costae and wall.

• Paliform lobe: upright skeletal rods or plates at the inner margin of septa formed by
upward growth of septum• Pali: upright skeletal rods or plates at the inner margin of the septa formed bypourtàles plan fusions• Coenosteum: horizontal parts between corallites• Calumella (plural: calumellae): skeletal structures at the axis of corallites

Plesiastrea versipora
Figure 4. Diagram showing the difference of coenosteum, calumellae and paliform lobes.

• Septo-costae: septa from one center to another, connected by septa-like structures• Petaloid: septa with a flower-like appearance• Synapticulae: horizontal rods between septa• Collines: skeletal ridges composed of coenosteum which separate corallites

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

15

Colony ShapeEncrusting

Pavona explanulata

Montipora floweri

ColumnarFavia stelligera

Gonioastrea

Pavona clavus

Foliaceous, plates, fronds, laminase

Tubinaria mesenterina

16

Pavona cacutas

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Leptoseris yabei

Branching, arborescent, ramose

Cyphastreadecadia

Acropora intermedia

Free livin

Fungia scutaria

Trachyphyllia geofferoni

Solitary

Scolymia vitiensis

Cynaria lacrymalis

Massive submassive

Faviaspeciosa

Psammocora profundcella

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Arrangement of Corallites
Plocoid

Notes:• Colonies with conical corallites with their own walls• Mainly in the genus Favia

Phaceloid

Caulastreatumida (Family: Faviidae)

Euphylliaparaglablescens (Family: Euphylliidae)

Notes:• Colonies with corallites of uniform height and adjoined towards their base

Cerioid

Gonioastrea aspera (Family: Faviidae)

Acanthastrea echinata (Family: Musiidae)

Notes:• Colonies with corallites sharing common walls

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Meandroid

Gonioastrea australensis (Family: Faviidae)

Physogyra lichtensteini (Family: Euphylliidae)

Notes:• Colonies with corallite mouths aligned in valleys.

Dendroid

Dendrophylliidae

Notes:• Spreading branches of single corallites.

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Thamnasterioid

Notes:• Corallites with confluent septa and lacking defined boundaries (septa-costae)

Flabello-meandroid

Catalaphyllia jardinei

Notes:• Colonies with valleys that have completely separate walls• Valleys have several mouths• Seen in Catalaphyllia and Lobophyllia

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8.4 Taxonomy of Corals (Families and Genera)
Notes on the Family Acroporidae
General Features• Small corallites (except Astreopora)• Lack of columellae (except Astreopora)• Synapticulothecae• Simple septa (no pattern of fusion)• Extratentacular budding
Genus: Anacropora• Arborescent• Thin tapered branches without axial corallite• Radial corallite small, immersed• Corallite walls and coenosteum porous• Corallites often have projecting lower lips

Genus: Astreopora• Growth form: encrusting, massive, subramose and laminar• Corallites are immersed or conical with short, numerous, neatly spaced septa• Coenosteum: reticular and spinose surface

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Genus: Montipora• Growth form: foliaceous, encrusting, branching,branching with laminar base and massive/submassive• Corallites are very small (<2mm)• Walls of coenosteum are highly elaborated and porous• Septa: inward projecting teeth (comb-like)• Columellae is absent• Thecal papillae and coenosteum papillae present• Thecal papillae in three forms:

Simple papillae
Exsert corallite

Compound papillae
Exsert corallite

Simple corallite
Immersed corallite• Thecal tuberculae and coenosteum named for the larger elaborations

Thecal tuberculae
Immersed corralit
Exsert corallite

22

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia• Coenosteum tuberculae forming ridges• Coenosteum tuberculae forming verrucae• Foveolate corallites• Glabrous coenosteum with immersed corallites

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Genus: Acropora• Axial corallites (except a few spp.) and radial corallites

24

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia• Growth forms:

Encrusting (very rare)

Submassive

Digitate

Corymbose

Caepitose
Aborescent
Aborescent table

Caepitose-corymbose

Hispidose

Tabulate (table)• Radial corallite

Tubular and round opening

Tubular and oblique opening

Appresed tubularTraining Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

25

Tubular and dimidiate opening
rounded tubular

Nariform and elongate opening

Labellete and flaring lips

Appressed tubular

26

Tubular and nariform opening

Nariform and round opening

Labellete and rounded lip

Labellete and straight lips

Cochleariform

ConicalTraining Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Subimmersed

Immersed• Coenosteum types:

Reticulate will spicules all
over

Costate on and between
radial corallites

Dense arrangement of spinules
on radial corallites, reticulate
with spinules less densely
arranged between them

Costate or broken costate
on radial corallites,
reticulate with spinules
between them

Dense arrangement of spinules• Size of radial corallites

2 different sizes

Different sizes

Uniform sizes

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Notes on the Family Faviidae
General Features• The most number of genera in the Scleractinia• Second to the Acroporidae in number of extant species• All species are zooxanthellate.
• Septa, paliform lobes, columellae and wall structures (when present), all appear to be
structurally similar.
• The vast majority of faviids are hermaphroditic broadcast-spawners. Only a few
species are gonochoric. Planula brooding occurs in some species.
• A total of 24 genera and the most number of genera in the sclerectina• A number of 15 genera are common in the Indo-Pacific.
Genus: Caulastrea• Colonies are phaceloid• Corallites have numerous fine septa and well developed columellae• Paliform lobes are absent• Consists of five species

CostaeGenus: Leptoria• Colonies are massive or encrusting with sinuous valleys• Colonies are meandroid• Neatly arranged equal septa and no paliform lobes• Has the narrowest valleys (2-3mm)• Consists of only two species

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Genus: Oulophyllia• Colonies are massive and meandroid• Composed or widest valleys (10-12mm)• Poliform lobes are usually present• Polyps are large and fleshy extended during night only

Genus: Platgyra• Colonies are massive and either flat or dome-shaped• Corallites are meandroid but sometimes cerioroid• Palifom lobes are not developed• Mid-sized valleys (3-5mm)• Septa are exsert and have ragged appearance• Columellae are poorly developed• Consists of 11 species

Platygyra daedalea

Platygyra pini (A few species that form only short valleys)

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Genus: Goniastrea• Colonies are massive and usually spherical/thick flat plates• Three out of total 13 species form valley and meandroid• Remaining 10 species are cerioid• Paliform lobes are well developed

Paliform lobes

Goniastrea australensis
Paliform lobes

Goniastrea pectinata

Genus: Favia• Colonies are massive in either flat or dome-shaped• Corollites are plocoid• Intertentacular budding• Very similar to genus Montastraea which has extratentacular budding• Consists of 23 species

Favia speciosa

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Genus: Montastraea• Colonies are massive, either flat or dome-shaped• Corallites are plocoid• Daughter corallites formed by extratentacular budding• Consists of 12 species

Montastraea magnistellata

Genus: Favites• Colonies are massive, either flat or dome-shaped• Cerioid colony• No paliform lobes (differing characteristic for Goniastrea)• Adjacent corallites mostly share common walls• Consists of 16 species

Favites abdita

Genus: Barabatoia• Colonies have tubular corallites which fuse irregularly• Extratentacular budding• Exsert corallites (differing characteristic from genus Favia and Montastraea)

Barabattoia amicorum

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Genus: Oulastrea• Only one species in this genus• Distinctive black skeleton• Species name: Oulastrea crispate

Genus: Diploastrea• Only one species in this genus• Very big characteristic corallites• Diploastrea heliopora

Genus: Leptastrea• Corallites are cerioid to subplocoid• Costae are poorly developed or absent• Septa have inward projecting teeth• Columellae consist of vertical pinnules• Consists of seven species

Leptastrea purpurea

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Genus: Cyphastrea• Colonies are massive or encrusting• Corallites are plocoid• Small corallite size (1-2mm)• Costae are generally restricted to the corallite wall
• Consists of eight species

Cyphastrea chalcidium

Genus: Echinopora• Plate-like colony• Corallites are plocoid(except E. fruticulosa and E. tiranensis
which form branches)• Exsert septa and irregular• Total of 12 species
Echinopora lamellose

Genus: Plesiastrea• Colonies are massive, rounded or flattened• Corallites are small (2-4mm) and plocoid• Extratentacular budding• Paliform lobes well-developed (differing characteristic from genus Cyphastrea)

Plesiastrea versipora

H. Fukumi

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Notes on the Family Trachyphyliidae
General Features• One genus, one species• Colonies are flabello-meandroid and free-living• Hourglass shape, up to 80 mm in length with one to three separate mouths• Large regular septa and paliform lobes

Trachyphyllia geofferoni

Notes on the Family Merulinidae
General Features• Can be found only in Indo-Pacific• Total of five genera• Skeletal structures are often faviid-like but are highly fused• Without paliform lobes• This family can be easily identified by the color and specific character• There are no common characters among genera
Genus: Merulina• Partly encrusting and partly foliaceous colonies• Colonies are pale-pink or pale-brown in color• Surface structure is meandroid, with the calices arranged in rows
• Septa protrude and are closely packed• Paliform lobes are well-developed• Looks similar to Goniastrea pectinata• Only three species in this genus

Merulina ampliata

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Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Genus: Hydnophora• Colonies are either branched or massive with tips of the monticules pale (hydnophore)• The genus name is derived from prominent hydnophores, which are conical structures(projecting discontinuous cones) between the corallite centers• Consists of six species

HydnophorHydnophora exesa

Genus: Scaphophyllia• Colonies form massive, often columnar• Valleys are meandroid, sinuous and parallel• Generally uncommon, conspicuous• Distinguishable from genus Merulina by parallel valleys and columnar colonies• Only one species in this genus

Scapophyllia cylindric

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Notes on the Family Pectiniidae
General Features• Only five genera in this family with all only found in the Indo-Pacific• Thick fleshy polyps which have a superficial resemblance to some faviids andmussids.
• Calices are connected with neighboring calices by septo-costae• Usually a center polyp is conspicuous
Genus: Pectinia• Encrusting, foliaceous, or branching colonies• Form semi-meandroid arrangement of thin leaves (wall-like costae), an importantcharacteristic to this genus• Calices are superficial and lack true walls• Margins of septa and septo-costae are finely and irregularly serrated• Consists of nine species

Pectinia lactusa

Genus: Echinophyllia• Irregular foliaceous or encrusting growth form
• Corallites are round/oval and generally elevated several millimeters above the surfaceof the corallum (like plocoid). This character is distinctive for this genus• Paliform lobes are usually present• Consists of eight species

Echinophyllia aspera

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Genus: Oxypora• Encrusting with free-foliaceous margins• Fragile corallum• The coenosteum is pitted• Calices are superficially or slightly raised• Small number of septo-costae (8-12)• Costae are toothed• Superficially similar to the Echinophyllia; it will be necessary to see the skeleton for
identification• Consists of four species

Tooth

Tooth

Oxypora lacera

Genus: Mycedium• Foliaceous or semi-encrusting colonies• Corallites are inclined, facing outwards to the edge of the colony margins. Importantcharacteristic for this genus• Septa are numerous• Very conspicuous and easily identified in the field• Consists of five species

Mycedium elephantotus

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Notes on the Family Mussidae
General Features• There are 13 genera (eight from Indo-Pacific, and four from Atlantic. One is common
in both )• Colonies are solitary or colonial• Skeletal structures are solid• Corallites and valleys are very large• The septa have large teeth or lobes (in contrast to the smoother Faviids)• Columellae and walls are thick and well developed with thick and fleshy polyps
Genus: Scolymia• Attached and solitary• Flattened and disk-like• About 3-14cm in diameter• Septa are arranged in cycles• Generally uncommon• Consists of three species

Genus: Cynarina• Attached or free-living• Solitary• About 5-6cm in diameter• First cycle of septa is strongly exserted and thickened• Only one species for this genus (Cynarina lacrymalis)

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Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Genus: Indophyllia• Free-living and solitary• About 4.5 cm in diameter• This, formerly thought long extinct, was rediscovered
alive in Indonesia• Very rare
• Only one species in this genus(Indophyllia macassarensis)

Genus: Acanthastrea• Colonies are massive or encrusting and usually flat
• Corallite are circular or angular in shape and are cerioid or subplocoid• Corallite size >8mm (characteristic differentiating from genus Micromussa)• Septa are thickened at the wall and having tall teeth• Consists of 12 species

Genus: Micromussa• Colonies are submassive or encrusting• Cerioid corallites with circular or angular shape• Size of corallite up to <8mm (characteristic differering from genus Acanthastrea)• Septa are thickened at the wall and having tall teeth• Consists of three species

Micromussa makusensis

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Genus: Lobophyllia• Colonies are phaceloid to flabello-meandroid (distinctive characteristic for this genus)• Corallites valleys are large• Septa are large with long teeth

Lobophyllia hemprichii

Genus: Symphyllia• Colonies are meandroid (distinctive characteristic for this genus)• Valleys are wide
• Groove usually runs along the top of the wall
• Large speta with teeth• Consists of seven species

Symphyllia agaricia

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Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Notes on the Family Fungiidae
General Features• Total of 13 genera in this family all found in Indo-Pacific known as mushroom corals• Members are usually free-living, but some are attached even in their adult stages• Septo-costae radiate from the mouth on the upper surface as septa and from thecenter of the under-surface as costae
Genus: Cycloseris• Solitary, free-living, flat or dome-shaped• Circular or slightly oval in outline with central mouth• No pits on the undersurface• Reach up to 10cm
• Septa have fine teeth and costae are also fine
• Restricted to reef environment and consist of 11 species in the genus

Cycloseris cyclolites

Genus: Diaseris• Solitary and free-living polyps• Fan-shaped segments with a mouth situated at the point of divergence of thesegments• Septa are thick with blunt teeth resembling rows of granules• Consists of two species

Diaseris distorta

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Genus: Fungia• Solitary and free-living• Can reach 50cm in diameter• Flat or dome-shaped with circular or elongate outline and a central mouth• Septa with large or small, rounded and pointed teeth• Costae with large spines in rows (distinctive characteristic of this genus)• Existence of pits between costae (distinctive characteristic of this genus)• Has 18 species in the genus

Fungia fungites

Genus: Heliofungia• Solitary and free-living• Can reach 20cm in diameter• Tentacles are usually over 5cm long
• Septa have large lobed teeth• Only one species in the genus, Helipfungia actiniformis

Genus: Ctenactis• Solitary and free-living• Elongated shape reaching 50cm in diameter• Lobed septal teeth• A prominent central furrow which may have one to several mouths• Consists of three species

Ctenactis echinata

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Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Genus: Cantharellus• Solitary and permanently attached to the substrate• Rarely colonial• Up to 20cm in diameter• Septa are thick and alternate in 5 cycles• Consists of three species

Cantharellus jebbi

Genus: Herpolitha• Colonial and free-living• Colonies are elongate with an axial furrow• There is a central groove on the upper surface, along which is a series of conspicuous
slit-like mouths• Consists of two species

Herpolitha limax

Genus: Polyphyllia• Colonial and free-living• Elongate colonial coral• Petaloid appearance of the calices• With prominent tentacles• Only one species in this genus (Polyphyllia novaehinerniae)

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Genus: Sandolitha• Free-living• Colonies are heavily constructed• Corallites are numerous, exsert• Consists of three species

Sandolitha robusta

Genus: Halomitra• Colonies are delicate and free-living• Corallites are not exsert• Distribution of corallites is loose• Consists of three species

Halomitra clavator

Genus: Zoopilus• Colonies are delicate and free-living• The corallum is strongly domed• Only one species in this genus (Zoopilus echinatus)

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Genus: Lythophyllon• Colonies are flat, attached and encrusting• Consists of three species

Lithophyllon undalatum

Genus: Podabacia• Colonies form explanate plates and attached• Corallites are inclined towards the margins• Consists of four species

Podabacia crustacean

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Notes on the Family Siderastreidae
General Features• Colonies are colonial, massive, or laminar• Corallites are small, immersed and with numerous thickened septo-costae• The septa are closely compacted and equally spaced• The corallite walls are very poorly defined• Only two genus is common in Indo-Pacific in total six genera
Genus: Psammocora• The surface of the coral is smooth or granular• Calices are closely packed and superficial, measuring about 1-2mm in diameter• Septa are numerous and visible which may end in a wide, blunt monticule(thamnasterioid structure), giving a flower-like appearance (petaloid septa rather thanterming them septo-costae)• Corallite wall is absent or weak
• Consists of 12 species

P. suferficialis

P. profundacella

Benzoni et al. 2007

Genus: Cosinaraea• Colonies are rough in surface structure• Calices are crowded, have a shared rounded wall and are 2-7mm in diameter• Septa are visible, granulated• Columellae are papillose• Species are often confused with those of Psammocora• Consists of nine species

Cosinaraea columna

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Benzoni et al. 2007

Notes on the Family Agariciidae
General Features• Colonies are massive or laminar• The corallites are usually highly modified and immersed with poorly defined walls
formed by thickening of the septo-costae (thamnasterioid)• Mainly gonochoric• A total of six genera but five common in Indo-Pacific
Genus: Pavona• Colonies are foliaceous, encrusting, or massive• Immersed calices are 2-3mm in diameter• An important feature of this genus is the foliaceous species are bifacial (corallites onboth sides)• Septa are visible with fine lines running from one calice center to the next (septocostae)• Intertentacular budding and consists of 15 species

Pavona cactus

Pavona cactus

Pavona frondifera

Genus: Leptoceris• They form encrusting• Corallites are outwardly inclined (in some cases)• Calices are usually present only on the upper surfaces• Septo-costae are numerous, closely packed and unite adjacent corallites• Columellae are weakly developed• Nearly indistinguishable from Pavona but septa-costae of Pavona is finer than those inthis genus• Consists of 16 species

Leptoseris amitoriensis

Leptoseris papyracea

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Genus: Pachyseris• Very easy to recognize• Forms leafy, plate-like, encrusting, or massive colonies• Upper surfaces are closely packed with ridges and valleys which are arranged in neatconcentric rows
• Distances from mid-ridge to mid-ridge are usually 3mm and consists of 5 species

Pachyseris gemmae

Genus: Coeloseris• Colonies are cerioid without columellae• Septo-costae are joined at the top of the walls• The top of the walls is rather flattened• Superficially similar to Goniastrea (Faviidae)• Only one species in this genus (Coeloseris mayeri)

Coeloseris mayeri

Genus: Gardineroseris• Calices are polygonal, irregular• Calices are closely packed with shared corallite walls that are prominent

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Notes on the Family Euphylliidae
General Features• Colonies are phaceloid, meandroid or flabello-meandroid with large, solid and widely
spaced smooth septo-costae• Corallite walls have a similar structure among genera and large fleshy tentacles are
keys of genus identification• Family was previously grouped in the family Caryophyllidae• Members of the family are from genus Euphyllia, Catalyphillia, Nemezophyllia, Plerogyra
and physogyra

Euphyllia sp

Catalyphyllia jardinei

Physogyra lichtensteini

Nemenzophyllia turbid

Plerogyra sp.

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Notes on the Family Oculinidae
General Features• This family is characterized by large upstanding calices• In the Indo-Pacific, one zooxanthellate genus exists
Genus: Galaxea• One of the easiest genera to recognize• Corallites are distinct and rise at least 2 mm and sometimes even 15 mm above the
coenosteum• Corallite diameters may range from 1.5-8 mm• Septa are numerous, arranged in cycles, are strongly exserted, and protrude thin withsharp blades• Septal margins are smooth, granular, or minutely dentate• Coenosteum is free of septal structures• Consists of seven species

Galaxea astreata

Notes on the Family Dendrophyllidae
General Features• Corallite walls are porous, usually composed of coenosteum• Septa are fused in a distinctive pattern (Pourtalès plan), at least in immature corallites
Pourtalès plan

Wells (1956)• Consists of zooxanthellate: four genera (azooxanthellate: 17 genera)

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Genus: Turbinaria• Colonies often form vase-shaped convolutions or spreading leaf-like fronds• Corallites are round, immersed to tubular• Porous wall surrounding the coesnosteum• Consists of 11 species

Genus: Heteropsammia• Corals are free-living• Commensal relationship with peanut worms• Consists of three species

Heteropsammia cochlea

Genus: Duncanopsammia• Colonies are composed of long tubular corallites.
• Usually occurs in water over 20 metres deep
• Sole species in this genus: Duncanopsammia axifuga

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Notes on the Family Astrocoeniidae
General Features• This family features style-like columellae and neatly arranged solid septa in 2-3
distinct cycles• There are four genera• Only one genera can be found in Indo-Pacific
Genus: Stylocoeniella• Corallites are separated by coenosteum• The upper outer edge of one of the primary septa of each corallite is raised andmerges with the coenosteum to form a styliform pillar• There are 12 septa arranged in two alternating cycles of six• Consists of three species

S. amata

S. guentheri

styliform pillar

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Notes on the Family Pocilloporidae
General Features• Colony are generally ramose• Corallites are plocoid to cerioid about 1-2 mm across which arise from extratentacularbudding• Columellae: styliform (when present)• Coenosteum is coverer with spinules• There are three genera in this family
Genus: Pocillopora• Corallites immersed on verrucae• Colonies ranging from branching to submassive• Septa reduced to rows of spines• Columellae (if present) styliform• Coenosteum covered with granules• Pocillopora damicornis lacks true verrucae but with sub-branches resembling verrucae• Consists of 17 species
Photos from Veron (2000)

Verrucae

P. meandrina

P. damicornis

P. eydouxi

Genus: Seriatopora• Colonies compact bushes with thin anatomising branches• Corallites in neat rows along branches and may be slightly hooded• Corallites are immersed and poorly developed internal structure• Style-like columellae and coenosteum covered by fine spinules• Consists of six species
Photos from Veron (2000)

Anatomisingbranches

Seriatopora hystix

Seriatopora caliendrum

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Genus: Stylophora• Colonies are submassive and branching• Branches short and seldom fused• Corallites are immersed, conical and hooded• Solid style-like columellae• Coenosteum covered with fine spinules
Photos from Veron (2000)

Hooded corallite

Stylophora pistillata

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Notes on the Family Poritidae
General Features• Growth form: Massive/laminar/ramose• Corallites are cerioid, small and compact• Extratentacular budding• Wall and septa are porous• Coenosteum is poorly developed or absent• There are six genera in this family• Here only three major genera are shown because others are very rare
Genus: Porites• Corallites are small (<2mm), immersed and filled with septa• Coenosteum is poorly developed or absent

Genus: Goniopora• Growth forms: massive, columnar, encrusting and branching• Polyps are long, fleshy and 24 tentacles extended during the day and night• Septa with gonioporoid pattern• Corallites ranging from 1.5 to 6mm in diameter and filled with compacted septa andcolumellae• Corallites has thick but porous walls

Gonioporoid patterns of septa

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Genus: Alveopora• Polyps are large, fleshy and 12 tentacles extend during the day and night• Often the tentacles with swollen knob-like tips
• Skeleton is extremely porous and light• Septa is reduced to fine spines and may fuse at the deep centre to form tangle in thecolumellae• Corallites ranging from 1.2-4.5 mm in diameter• Corallite wall is lattice-like

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8.5 Problems of Taxonomy of the Reef-building Corals
Identification of species
Species identification of the corals is based on the skeletal morphology. But species
identification is mostly subjective because species description lacks measurement ofskeletal characters. The book “Scleractinia of Eastern Australia” published by Veron andothers (1976-84) are one of the best publications of the coral taxonomy because manyskeletal photos were shown. These books are not produced anymore and it is very hard to
get them now.
Recently, “Corals of the world” (3 volume set) was published by Veron (2000), and they
showed a lot of pictures of the living specimens of almost all zooxanthellate coral species
in the world, and is very useful to be able to identify specimens without looking skeletonsin many cases (but not all). However, several parts of his book do not observe and adhere
to the rules of international Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN).For example, 100
new species were created in his book, but the new names were not indicated as being new.
According to ICZN, a new name published after 1999 is not made available unless it isexplicitly indicated as being new. Therefore the book “Corals of the world” should be used
and referred with care and in acknowledgement of these things, especially for taxonomic
studies.

Morphological variation and species boundaries
Type specimens are very important, but sometimes species which are recognized inpresent are different morphologically from their type specimens.
Type

Corallites are compact and notprominent

Veron (2000)

Corallites are widely spaced andprominent

It is not easy to get information of type specimen because:a) many types were lost during World War IIb) no many photos of them exist and short of explanationc) many references are old and very difficult to obtain

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8.6 Specimen Preparation Technique for Identification
Step 1: Taking Photographs of Living Corals
Upon spotting a specimen, record the depth, time and type of environment (e.g. rocky,
muddy, etc.) where the specimen is found. Take photo of the whole colony with a scale andtag. Then, take a close-up photo of the colony, together with a scale as shown in Figure 5.

ab
Figure 5. Photograph of the whole colony (a) and close-up of the colony (b).

If a photograph of a specimen is not taken in the field, take it upon returning to thelaboratory. Immerse the specimen in water when taking photograph in the lab. It is best to
avoid taking photo of the specimen on land because they look very much alike different
species as illustrated in Figure 6.

ab
Figure 6. Photograph of specimen from the same species taken on land (a) andunderwater (b)Step 2: Sample Collecting
After taking photographs, collect the sample with the aid of a hammer and chisel.
Samples are best collected with minimum of 5cm in width and 5cm in height. But this isalso very dependent on the size of the corralites. A sample collected must include several
corralites for identification as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Samples collected of different sizes. It is important to include several
corralites within a sample to make correct identification. For Acropora, it isimportant to collect large enough size to determine the colony shape

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Step 3: Treatment of Samples Collected
Chip off a small piece of about 5 x 5 x 5mm of the sample for DNA analysis. Keep andimmerse the small piece in either 99 per cent ethanol or Guanidine (CHAOS) solution.
Bleach the whole specimen with domestic bleaching agent to remove all the tissues leaving
only the skeletal. Then wash the specimen with water and dry it. Figure 8 shows the overall
process of treating the samples collected.

Figure 8. The process of treating samples collected

Step 4: DNA Extraction
If the DNA samples are preserved in 99 per cent ethanol solution, use the DNA
extraction kit following procedures provided in the kit. Dry a small piece of coral insidedraft for three to five hours before grinding them in a mortar and pestle. Place the grindedcoral into a 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube.
For samples preserver in CHAOS solution, apply phenol/choloroform extraction
techniques before subjecting it to ethanol precipitation. Then, store the extracted DNA
extracted in TE buffer under -20oC.

Step 5: Observation and Measurements of the Morphological Characters
Observe the colony shape and corallite structures (budding patterns, paliform lobes,
septa, costae, callumellae). Then measure at least six mature corallites on several aspects,
namely, corallites size, calices size, callumellae size and number of septa.

Step 6: Specimen Preparation for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
Cut the coral samples into small pieces. Immerse the coral samples in hypochlorite
solution, clean with ultrasound, and rinse with distilled water before final drying.
For SEM method, dry and dehydrate the coral samples at 150oC for 24 hours. Then coatthe samples with gold and examine with scanning electron microscopy.

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

59

8.7 Museum Collection, Management, Cataloging and Storing
An example of museum collection, management, cataloging and storing of samples
of coral is illustrated using the examples done at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre.
Electronic cataloging must be done in line with manual cataloging to safe guard data.
Details can be found in the presentation slides found in Appendix E.

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APPENDICES
Appendix A
List of Participants
1

Brunei
Darussalam

Sheikh Haji Al-Idrus
Sheikh Haji Nikman

Fisheries Officer, Fisheries
Department, Brunei Darussalam

Email:idrus.nikman@gmail.com

2

Brunei
Darussalam

Haji Aji Haji Sapor

Senior Fisheries Assistant

3

Brunei
Darussalam

Haji Ramlee Haji
Ahmad

Junior Fisheries Assistant4

Cambodia

Hun Marady

Chief, Conservation Section,
Provincial Department ofEnvironment, Koh Kong Province

Tel. +855 16 954 493
E-mail: rithy@czmcam.org

5

Cambodia

Chhouk Borin

Dean, Faculty of Fisheries, Royal
University of Agriculture, Phnom
Penh

Tel +855 12 898 095
Fax +855 23 352 133/
219 690E-mail: borin_rua@live.com

6

Cambodia

Eng Kimsan

Associate Dean for International
Relations and Business
Development
Director, Executive Educationand Learning Center, Pannasastra
University, Phnom Penh

E-mail: engkimsan@puc.edu.kh

7

Cambodia

Meas Rithy

Vice Chief, Department of Asianand International Cooperation,
Ministry of Environment, PhnomPenh

Fax +855 23 216 510
Mobile +855 1244
4497/ 1557 7779
E-mail: rithy@czmcam.org

8

Indonesia

Febriany Iskandar

9

Indonesia

Tri Aryono Hadi

Junior Researcher,
Research Center for
Oceanography, Indonesian
Institute of SciencesTel. +62 21 6471
3850
Fax +62 21 6471
1948
Mobile +62 857 2932
9126
E-mail: ari_080885@yahoo.com

10

Indonesia

Fajar Dwi Nur Aji

Forest Controller Ecosystem,
Control of Forest Ecosystem,
Center of the Natural Resources
Conservation of East Java

Tel +62 31 8667239
Fax +62 31 8671985
Mobile +62 113 3112
2083
E-mail: fjr_151@yahoo.co.id;
fajardna13@gmail.com;

11

Indonesia

Irawan Assad

Data and Information Section,
Sub Directorate of Wetlands,
Marine Conservation andEssential Ecosystem, Ministry ofForestry

Tel +62 21 5720229
Fax Mobile: +62 81
24222247 Email:irawan.asaad@gmail.com
asaad17836@itc.nl

Mobile +62 815 8468
3777
E-mail: febry_iskandar@yahoo.com,
febry.iskandar@gmail.com

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62

12

Lao PDR

Khampheng
HomsombathHead of Data and Information
Unit, Living Aquatic Resources
Research Centre, National
Agriculture and Forestry ResearchInstitute (Tel +856 21 263 479
Fax+856 21 214 855
Mobile +856 20 561
8086
E-mail:hsbkhampheng2010@gmail.com,
khampheng@hotmail.com

13

Lao PDR

Oudone Khounsavan

Technical Officer,
Capture Fisheries Unit, Living
Aquatic Resources ResearchCentre, Vientiane

Tel +856 21 215015
Fax +856 21 214855
Mobile +856 20 9891
1363
E-mail: oudone_kh@yahoo.com

14

Lao PDR

ThavonePhommavong

Living Aquatic Resources
Research Center, Kunta Village,
Sikhotabong District, Vientiane

Tel +856 21 215 015
Fax +856 20 761
5894
E-mail: thavone.ph@gmail.com

15

Lao PDR

Vannida Boualaphan

Technical Officer,
Capture Fisheries Unit, Living
Aquatic Resources ResearchCentre, Vientiane

Tel +856 21 215015
Fax +856 21 214855
E-mail: thavone.ph@gmail.com

16

Malaysia

Md Nizam bin Ismail

Research Officer, Department ofMarine Parks Malaysia,

Tel 03 886 1425
Mobile 019 494 2509
E-mail: nism_74@yahoo.co.uk

17

Malaysia

Mahadi bin
MohammadScience Officer, C41, Center for
Marine and Coastal Studies,
University Sains Malaysia Penang

Tel 012 472 2912
E-mail: mahadi.mohd@gmail.com

18

Malaysia

Irwan Isnain

Assistant Marine Research
Officer, Marine Research Unit,
Sabah Parks

Tel 6 088 229572
Fax 6 088 301169
E-mail: irwan.isanin@sabah.gov.my

19

Philippines

Ariel R. Pliego

Forest Ranger, Department ofEnvironment and Natural
Resources, Region XI, Coastal
and Marine Management
Division

Mobile +63
9068761603
E-mail: arp0924@live.com

20

Philippines

Jameliita T. Flores

Administrative Aide IV, Coastal
and Marine Management
Division, Department ofEnvironment and Natural
Resource, Region 2

Mobile +639159730155
E-mail: cheomis_clarkll@yahoo.com

21

Philippines

Dexter dela Cruz

Research Assistant
The Marine Science Institute
University of the Philippines,
Diliman

Mobile +63 9
E-mail: dexterwdc@yahoo.com.ph

22SingaporeNg Chin Soon Lionel

Research Assistant,Tropical Marine Science Institute,
National University of Singapore

Tel +65 166 867
Mobile +65 9651
6140
E-mail: lionelng@nus.edu.sg

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23

SingaporeOw Yan Xiang

Research Assistant,Tropical Marine Science Institute,
National University of Singapore

Mobile +65 9663
5282
E-mail: tmsoyx@nus.edu.sg

24

Singapore

Sherilyn Tan Siao Lin

Assistant Researcher, Agri-Foodand Veterinary Authority ofSingapore

Mobile +65 9741
1103
E-mail: sherilyntan@hotmail.com

25

Singapore

Collin Tong Hor Yee

Senior Biodiversity Officer,
National Biodiversity Centre,
National Parks Board

E-mail: tong_hor_yee@nparks.gov.sg

26

Thailand

Chaipichit
Saenghaisuk

Researcher,
Marine Biodiversity ResearchGroup, Faculty of Science,
Department of Biology,
Ramkhamhaeng University,
BangkokE-mail: posedo@hotmail.com

27

Thailand

Sahabhop Dokkaew

Fisheries Biologist,
Ornamental Fish and Aquatic
Plants Research and Technology
Transfer Center, Faculty ofFisheries, Kasetsart University,
BangkokTel +66 2 9428365
Fax +66 2 9428365
Mobile +66 81
8018212E-mail: oui_4756@hotmail.com

28

Thailand

Wiracha Charoendee

Research Scientist,
Marine Aquaculture Research
Unit, Institute of Marine Science

Tel +66 38 3916713
Fax +66 39 391674
Mobile +66 86
5052955
E-mail: charoendee@hotmail.com

29

ThailandRak Ritrudi

Fisheries Biologist,
Prachuap Khirikhan Coastal
Fisheries Research andDevelopment Center

Tel +66 2 2661133
Fax +66 3 2661398
Mobile +66 89
6618308
E-mail: r_ritrudi@yahoo.ac.th30

Viet Nam

Dau Van Thao

Department of Marine Biological
Resources and Ecology, Instituteof Marine Environment andResources, Hai Phong City

Tel +84 031 376 0603
Fax +84 031 376
1521
Mobile +84 919 951
708
E-mail: thaodv@imer.ac.vn;
dauthao82@yahoo.com

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

63

Observers
31

Japan

Yuko Kitano

2nd year doctoral student
Dept. of Marine Biology andEnvironmental Science, Facultyof Agriculture, University ofMiyazaki

32

Japan

Hyakubun Harada

NaGISA Western Pacific
Seto Marine Biological
Laboratory
Field Science Education andResearch Center, Kyoto
University

Tel +81-(0)-739-42-3515
Fax +81-(0)-739-42-4518
E-mail: boon_harada@hotmail.com

33

Malaysia

Moi Khim Tan

Database Manager,(ReefBase Project)
The WorldFish Center

Tel +604-6261606
Fax +604 626 5530
E-mail: m.tan@CGIAR.ORG

34

Malaysia

Nurulhuda Ahmad
Fatan

Research Assistant (ReefBase
Project)
The WorldFish Center

Tel +604-6261606
Fax +604 626 5530
E-mail: n.afatan@cgiar.org

35

Indonesia

RudionoWetlands Conservation,
Aquatic and Ecosystem
Essential Data Analysis,
Directorate of Areas
Conservation, DG Forest
Protection and Nature
Conservation, Ministry ofForestry

Tel +62215720229
E-mail: call_tiecks@yahoo.co.id

36

USM

ZulfikarPh.D Candidate(Coral Reef Ecology)
Marine Science Laboratory
University Sains Malaysia

Mobile +60 149461473(Malaysia)+60 812 69557173(Indonesia)
E-mail:zulsaidy@gmail.com
zulsaidy@live.com

Aquaculture Department
Malikussaleh University

64

37

USM

Cherrie Teh Chiew
Peng

Research Scientist
Marine Science Laboratory
Universiti Sains Malaysia

38

USM

Norhanis Mohammad
Razalli

M.Sc candidate
Marine Science andManagement
Marine Sciences Lab
School of Biological Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia

39

USM

Juliana Mohamed

M.Sc candidate
Marine Science andManagement
Marine Sciences Lab
School of Biological Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia

40

USM

Mohamad Fikri bin
SamsudinM.Sc candidate
Marine Science andManagement
Marine Sciences Lab
School of Biological Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia

Training Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

Tel +6010-2315262
Fax +604-6533500
Email: cherrie_tcp@yahoo.com

Tel +60 123972474
Fax +60 46533500
julianamohamed17@gma
il.comResource Persons
41

USM

Aileen Shau-Hwai Tan

Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences,
USM, Miden, Penang, Malaysia
11800

Tel +604 6533508
Fax+604 6533500
Mobile+ 6012 4319900
Email: aileen @usm.my

42

USM

Zulfigar Yassin

Professor, USM Marine
Biologist

Email:
zulfigarusm @yahoo.com

43

Japan

Yoshihisa Shirayama

Director and Professor,
Seto Marine Biological
Laboratory,
Field Science Education andResearch Center, Kyoto
University

Tel +81 739 423 515
Fax +81 739 424 518
E-mail: yshira@seto.kyoto-u.ac.jp,
meiobenthos2007@yahoo.co.jp

44

Japan

Fukami Hironobu

Associate Professor
Dept. of Marine Biology andEnvironmental Science, Facultyof Agriculture, University ofMiyazakiTel +81-985-58-7221
Fax +81-985-58-7221
E-mail: hirofukami@cc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp

45

ThailandNiphon Phongsuwan

Coral Reef Specialist, andChief of Marine and Coastal
Biology and Ecology Unit,
Phuket Marine BiologicalCenterTel +66 76 391128
Fax +66 76 391127
E-mail: nph1959@gmail.com

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Appendix B

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Appendix C

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Appendix D

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Appendix E

The PMBC Reference Collection:

Collection Management and Database

Charatsee Aungtonya
Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC)
Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR)
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
THAILAND
http://www.pmbc.go.th/pmbc_rc/

the 5th Thai-Danish Expedition in the Andaman Sea,
south-western Thailand in 1966

ThailandPhuketSampling stations
Established since 11 October 1968 under a bilateralagreement between the governments of Thailand andDenmark after the 5th Thai-Danish Expedition in the
Andaman Sea

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PMBC was officially declared operational in April 1971.
A reference collection was included in the PMBC
activities from the beginning.

Reference Collection

The RC building donated by theDanish Government on the occasionof the Rattanokosin Bicentennial in
1983

Mission• To carry out taxonomic research.
• To maintain various groups ofmarine flora and fauna in Thaiwaters.
• To facilitate visiting researchers in
examination of identify theirmaterials.
• To support education and raise
public awareness of the need forconservation and the sustainable
use of resources by encouraging
public participation and network.

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Reference Collection-Taxonomic Study
Dr. Somchai Bussarawit: fish, sea snake, cephalochordate,crustacean, echinoderm, mollusc (oyster), brachiopod

Dr. Charatsee Aungtonya:
polychaetes

Ms. Wanida Onkaew: jelly fish

Mr. Rueangrit Promdam: crab

PMBC & DMCR–Biodiversity Research
Cnidaria: Anthozoa (hard coral)..………: Mr. Niphon Phongsuwan
Mollusca: Bivalvia………………………………: Ms. Vararin Vongpanich
Mollusca: Cephalopoda…………..…………: Dr. Anuwat Nateewathana
Chordata (fish)…………………………………..: Mr. Ukkrit Satapoomin
Chordata (sea turtle)………………………...: Mr. Supot Chantrapornsyl
Chordata: Cetacea (dolphin).………….: Ms. Kanjana Adulyanukosol
Chordata: Cetacea (whale)…………….: Dr. Kongkait Kittiwathanawong
Zooplankton………………………..……………..: Dr. Suree Satapoomin
Phytoplankton…………………….……………..: Ms. Jiraporn Charoenrattanaporn

Reference Collection-Taxonomic Networkin Thailand

Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla
Algae & sea grasses……………………………….: Assist. Prof. Dr. Anchana Prathep
Crustracea: Amphipoda…….............…………: Ms. Koraon Wongkamhaeng
Curstacean: Tanaidacea…………………….…: Prof. Dr. Saowapa Angsupanich
Mollusca: Cephalopoda……………………………: Dr. Jaruwat Nabhitabhata
Chordata (sea snakes)……………….…………..: Dr. Sansareeya Wangkulangkul
Phuket Rajabhat University, Phuket
Cnidaria: Anthozoa (soft coral)…………...…..: Mr. Thanongsak Chanmethakul
Chulalongkorn university, Bangkok
Chordata: Cephalochordata (tunicate)………: Assist. Prof. Dr. Suchana Chavanich

Kasetsart University, Bangkok
Mollusca: Gastropoda……………………….…….: Dr. Teerapong Duangdee
Burapha University, Chonburi
Echinodermata & Porifera (sponges).……….: Dr. Sumaitt Putchakarn
Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Porifera (sponges).………………………………….: Dr. Udomsak Darumas

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Reference Collection-Taxonomic Networkin abroad

University of Aarhus, Denmark
Foraminifera…………………………………..…….….: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tomas Cedhagen
Mollusca: Bivalvia; Sipuncula……………………..: retirement Prof. Jørgen Hylleberg

Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Foraminifera; Mollusca: Cephalopoda;
Porifera (sponges)………………….……………: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ole Secher Tendal
Annelida (Polychaeta)……………….……………….: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Danny Eibye-Jacobsen
National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Crustracea (crab)….…………………………………..: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Peter K.L. Ng
Australian Museum, Australia
Curstacean: Amphipoda…………………………..…: Dr. Jim Lowry
Museum of Tropical Queensland, Australia
Curstacean: Isopoda………………………………….: Dr. Niel L. Bruce

Prince Hitachi (Japan)
visited PMBC Reference Collection in 1988

H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakree Sirinthorn
visited PMBC Reference Collection in 1988

Collections

1. Type Materials Collection
2. Marine Invertebrates Collection

3. Marine Invertebrates Collection:
Cnidarians Collection
4. Marine Vertebrates Collection
5. Unsorted Specimens Collection

Type Materials Collection- 412 records- Including 209 new species (Holotype/
Allotype/ Paratype) from Thai waters (theAndaman Sea & the Gulf of Thailand)- Protozoa (Granuloreticulosa), Annelida(Polychaeta), Arthropoda (Chelicerata &Crustacea), Chordata (Pisces),
Echinodermata, Entoprocta, Mollusca(Bivalvia, Cephalopoda, and Gastropoda),
and Platyhelminthes (Turbellaria)

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Marine Invertebrates Collection- Protozoa (Foraminifera & Myzozoa)- Chromista (Ochrophyta: Subphylum Diatomeae & Phaeistia)- Plantae (Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Phaeophyta, &Rhodophyta (Algae) and Tracheophyta (sea grasses)- Animalia (Annelida: Polychaeta; Arthropoda (Chelicerata and Crustracea),
Brachiopoda (lamp- shells), Bryozoa, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Nemertea(ribbon- or proboscis-worms), Platyhelminthes, Porifera (sponges),
Sipuncula and Prochrodates, i.e., Cephalochordata, Hemichordata, andUrochordata

Marine Invertebrates Collection

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Marine Invertebrates Collection:
Cnidarians Collection

Anthozoa, Scyphozoa, Hydrozoa, and Cubozoa

Marine Invertebrates Collection:
Cnidarians Collection

Marine Vertebrates Collection
Agnatha, Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes, Testudines (sea turtle), Squamata(sea snake) and Cetacea (dolphin & whale)
Remarks: Cetacean (dolphin & whale) have been registered andcatalogued at the PMBC Reference Collection, but they are deposited at
PMBC Marine Endanger Species Museum.

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Marine Vertebrates Collection

Unsorted Specimens Collection

Unsorted Specimens Collection

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Registration Process

Registration Process:Registration Book

Registration Process:

PMBC Reference Collection Database

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Edit Reference Cards

Edit Reference Cards

Edit Reference Cards

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Edit Reference Cards

Edit Reference Cards: Picture

Edit Reference Cards: Picture preparation

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Edit Reference Cards: Registration Card

Edit Reference Cards: Registration Card

Registration Card Index

104

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Edit Reference Cards: Label

Label and Specimen

SearchTraining Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

105

Search: PMBC Search

Search: Taxonomy Search

Search: Taxonomy Search

106

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Search: Taxonomy Search

Search: Taxonomy Search
Report:printout

Search: Taxonomy SearchTraining Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia

107

Search: Taxonomy Search

Copy to MS Excel

Count : Diversity

Count : Diversity

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Count : Diversity

Count : Diversity

Count : Diversity

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Loan

Edit Reference Cards: Species distribution

110

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Edit Reference Cards: Species distribution

Annual maintenanceTraining Manual on Corals Taxonomy in Southeast Asia111

NOTES