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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Towards a phylogenetic classification of reef corals: The Indo-Pacific genera Merulina, Goniastrea and Scapophyllia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae)
Zoologica Scripta, Volume 43, No. 5, Year 2014
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Description
Recent advances in scleractinian systematics and taxonomy have been achieved through the integration of molecular and morphological data, as well as rigorous analysis using phylogenetic methods. In this study, we continue in our pursuit of a phylogenetic classification by examining the evolutionary relationships between the closely related reef coral genera Merulina, Goniastrea, Paraclavarina and Scapophyllia (Merulinidae). In particular, we address the extreme polyphyly of Favites and Goniastrea that was discovered a decade ago. We sampled 145 specimens belonging to 16 species from a wide geographic range in the Indo-Pacific, focusing especially on type localities, including the Red Sea, western Indian Ocean and central Pacific. Tree reconstructions based on both nuclear and mitochondrial markers reveal a novel lineage composed of three species previously placed in Favites and Goniastrea. Morphological analyses indicate that this clade, Paragoniastrea Huang, Benzoni & Budd, gen. n., has a unique combination of corallite and subcorallite features observable with scanning electron microscopy and thin sections. Molecular and morphological evidence furthermore indicates that the monotypic genus Paraclavarina is nested within Merulina, and the former is therefore synonymised. © 2014 Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Authors & Co-Authors
Huang, Danwei
United States, Iowa City
University of Iowa
United States, La Jolla
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Singapore, Singapore City
National University of Singapore
Benzoni, Francesca
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano-bicocca
Arrigoni, Roberto
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano-bicocca
Baird, A. H.
Australia, Townsville
James Cook University
Berumen, Michael L.
Saudi Arabia, Thuwal
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Bouwmeester, Jessica
Saudi Arabia, Thuwal
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Chou, Loke Ming
Singapore, Singapore City
National University of Singapore
Fukami, Hironobu
Japan, Miyazaki
University of Miyazaki
Licuanan, Wilfredo Y.
Philippines, Manila
De la Salle University
Lovell, Edward R.
Fiji, Suva
University of the South Pacific
Meier, Rudolf
Singapore, Singapore City
National University of Singapore
Todd, Peter Alan
Singapore, Singapore City
National University of Singapore
Budd, Ann F.
United States, Iowa City
University of Iowa
Statistics
Citations: 74
Authors: 13
Affiliations: 9
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/zsc.12061
ISSN:
03003256
e-ISSN:
14636409
Research Areas
Cancer