Hydnophora breviconus

Nemenzo, 1971

Corallum caespitose, very proliferous; 7 cm high, around 12 cm longest diameter. Stems and branches broadly palmate at levels of branching – several branches or branchlets produced at the same level. Terminal branchlets crowded, coalescent; short, at most 15 mm without branching; angular in cross section; around 6 mm across; generally uniform in thickness; tips obtuse. Monticules low, at most 4 mm high, much lower towards base of corallum; hardly noticeable on upper portions of branchlets because they are closely ascending; all conical, not very obvious.

Calicinal centers not clearly noticeable, except as depressions among monticules where septocostae converge. Septocostae slighty thickened around calicinal centers; surfaces heavily epithecate; edge denticulate away from centers but dentate around columella. Ten to 15 septocostae surround big monticules, usually small and large ones alternating.

Columella represented by small mass joining the medial ends of septocostae.

This species has some resemblance with H. rigida. It can be recognized by its short, non-tapering branchlets without monticules on the upper portions, by its low monticules and its dentate septocostae. Vaughan (1918) in his Plate 48, figure 2 portrays a specimen of H. rigida from Fanning Island which resembles the present species but for the prominent monticules reaching tips of the branchlets of the former.

Nemenzo, F. (1971). Systematic studies on Philippine shallow-water scleractinians: VII. Additional forms. Natural and Applied Science Bulletin, University of the Philippines. 23: 141-209.

Unaccepted

Hydnophora rigida (Dana, 1846)

WoRMS Editorial Board. (2024). World Register of Marine Species. Available from https://www.marinespecies.org at VLIZ. Accessed 2024-05-02. doi:10.14284/170

Plate 1, Fig 2-3: UP C-1348:Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro (V. V. Arbizo) 1969

Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City