Physophyllia

Apr 22, 2026 - 18:19
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Physophyllia

revise as monotypic genus

← Previous revision Revision as of 12:48, 22 April 2026
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{{Short description|Species of coral}}
{{Short description|Monotypic genus of coral}}
{{Orphan|date=March 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}


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'''''Physophyllia ayleni''''' is a [[Monotypic taxon|monotypic]] species in the coral genus ''[[Physophyllia]]'', which is in the family [[Merulinidae]] in the order [[Scleractinia]]. The species was first described by John W. Wells in 1935.{{cite journal |last=Wells |first=J. W. |year=1935 |title=The genotype of ''Physophyllia'' and living species of ''Astrocœnia'' |journal=Annals and Magazine of Natural History |volume=15 |issue=87 |pages=339–344, pls. 13–15 |doi=10.1080/00222933508654971}} It is a [[hermatypic coral]] that constructs [[Coral reef|reefs]] in the temperate and tropical waters of the [[Indo-Pacific]].
'''''Physophyllia''''' is a [[Monotypic taxon|monotypic]] genus of coral in the family [[Merulinidae]]. Its sole assigned species is '''''Physophyllia ayleni'''''. The species was first described by John W. Wells in 1935.{{cite journal |last=Wells |first=J. W. |year=1935 |title=The genotype of ''Physophyllia'' and living species of ''Astrocœnia'' |journal=Annals and Magazine of Natural History |volume=15 |issue=87 |pages=339–344, pls. 13–15 |doi=10.1080/00222933508654971}} It is a [[hermatypic coral]] that constructs [[Coral reef|reefs]] in the temperate and tropical waters of the [[Indo-Pacific]].


== Morphology ==
== Morphology ==
''Physophyllia ayleni'' forms colonies with encrusting or stratified plates. The plates have vertical walls of irregular height, radiating toward the plate margins. These walls separate individual [[corallite]]s or small groups of corallites, which are consequently widely spaced.{{cite web |title=Pectinia ayleni |url=http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0896 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514190321/http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0896 |archive-date=14 May 2013 |website=Corals of the World |publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science}} Its color ranges from dark grey{{cite book |last=Veron |first=J. E. N. |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39927860 |title=Hermatypic corals of Japan |publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science |year=1992 |isbn=0642170835 |location=Townsville, Qld |page=145 |oclc=38327989}} to dark brownish-green. Some specimens reach {{cvt|1|m|ft|1}} in diameter, but colonies of {{cvt|20|-|30|cm|in|0}} are more common.
''P. ayleni'' forms colonies with encrusting or stratified plates. The plates have vertical walls of irregular height, radiating toward the plate margins. These walls separate individual [[corallite]]s or small groups of corallites, which are consequently widely spaced.{{cite web |title=Pectinia ayleni |url=http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0896 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514190321/http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0896 |archive-date=14 May 2013 |website=Corals of the World |publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science}} Its color ranges from dark grey{{cite book |last=Veron |first=J. E. N. |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39927860 |title=Hermatypic corals of Japan |publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science |year=1992 |isbn=0642170835 |location=Townsville, Qld |page=145 |oclc=38327989}} to dark brownish-green. Some specimens reach {{cvt|1|m|ft|1}} in diameter, but colonies of {{cvt|20|-|30|cm|in|0}} are more common.


== Taxonomy ==
== Taxonomy ==
''Physophyllia ayleni'' was thought to be in the [[Pectiniidae]] family, but it was reclassified in 2014 to the family [[Merulinidae]].{{Cite WoRMS|title=''Physophyllia ayleni'' (Wells, 1935)|id=288353|access-date=3 January 2026|last1=Hoeksema |first1=B. W. |last2=Cairns |first2=S. |year=2025}}{{Cite journal |last=Huang |first=Danwei |last2=Benzoni |first2=Francesca |last3=Fukami |first3=Hironobu |last4=Knowlton |first4=Nancy |last5=Smith |first5=Nathan D. |last6=Budd |first6=Ann F. |date=June 2014 |title=Taxonomic classification of the reef coral families Merulinidae, Montastraeidae, and Diploastraeidae (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia) |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=171 |issue=2 |pages=277–355 |doi=10.1111/zoj.12140}}{{cite iucn |last1=Crabbe |first1=J. |last2=Huang |first2=D. |last3=Porter |first3=S. N. |last4=Bluemel |first4=J. |last5=Ng |first5=L. |year=2024 |title=''Physophyllia ayleni'' |volume=2024 |article-number=e.T133694A166016550 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T133694A166016550.en |access-date=3 January 2026}} However, {{as of|2026|lc=y}}, the [[Integrated Taxonomic Information System]] still includes ''Physophyllia ayleni'' in Pectiniidae.{{ITIS|id=53468|taxon=''Physophyllia ayleni'' (Wells, 1934)|access-date=3 January 2026}}
''P. ayleni'' was thought to be in the [[Pectiniidae]] family, but it was reclassified in 2014 to the family [[Merulinidae]].{{Cite WoRMS|title=''Physophyllia ayleni'' (Wells, 1935)|id=288353|access-date=3 January 2026|last1=Hoeksema |first1=B. W. |last2=Cairns |first2=S. |year=2025}}{{Cite journal |last=Huang |first=Danwei |last2=Benzoni |first2=Francesca |last3=Fukami |first3=Hironobu |last4=Knowlton |first4=Nancy |last5=Smith |first5=Nathan D. |last6=Budd |first6=Ann F. |date=June 2014 |title=Taxonomic classification of the reef coral families Merulinidae, Montastraeidae, and Diploastraeidae (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia) |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=171 |issue=2 |pages=277–355 |doi=10.1111/zoj.12140}}{{cite iucn |last1=Crabbe |first1=J. |last2=Huang |first2=D. |last3=Porter |first3=S. N. |last4=Bluemel |first4=J. |last5=Ng |first5=L. |year=2024 |title=''Physophyllia ayleni'' |volume=2024 |article-number=e.T133694A166016550 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T133694A166016550.en |access-date=3 January 2026}} However, {{as of|2026|lc=y}}, the [[Integrated Taxonomic Information System]] still includes ''P. ayleni'' in Pectiniidae.{{ITIS|id=53468|taxon=''Physophyllia ayleni'' (Wells, 1934)|access-date=3 January 2026}}


== Habitat and distribution ==
== Habitat and distribution ==
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[[Category:Merulinidae]]
[[Category:Merulinidae]]
[[Category:Animals described in 1935]]
[[Category:Animals described in 1935]]
[[Category:Monotypic Cnidaria genera]]
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