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Seriatopora hystrix Dana
| Family Name: | Pocilloporidae |
| Taxonomic Group: | Invertebrates (Coral and Sponge) |
| Common Name: | Needle Coral |
Name
Ecology, Habitat & Location
| Ecological Notes | Coral reefs, favouring shallow areas. The polyps are extended at night. Branch tips are pointed giving the colony a delicate appearance. |
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| Habitats | Coral Reef, Marine |
| Distribution | Throughout the Indo-Pacific. |
| Nature Areas | Pulau Semakau |
Conservation
| Trends & Threats | Habitat degradation; elsewhere, the marine ornamental trade, the fragments broken from reefs being sold as curious in their own right, or for use as decorations in marine aquariums. |
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| Scientific Interest & Potential Value | Used as an experimental organism for fragmentation and growth studies. |
| Conservation Notes | Occurrence in Singapore was last reported in the 1960s, and it has not been seen since. A ‘coral nursery’ has been established by National Parks Board off Pulau Semakau, and would be available to help propagate this species if it is ever found again. |
Status
| Singapore Red Data Book Status | Critically Endangered (CR) [2008] |
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Photos
References
| References | Davison, G.W.H., Ng, P.K.L. & Ho, H.C (Eds.). 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book (2nd Edition). Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). 285pp |
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