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Recognition of separate genera within Acropora based on new morphological, reproductive and genetic evidence from Acropora togianensis, and elevation of the subgenus Isopora Studer, 1878 to genus (Scleractinia: Astrocoeniidae; Acroporidae)

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Abstract

Many attempts have been made to recognise divisions within Acropora, the most diverse reef building coral genus on modern reefs, but only subgenera Acropora and Isopora are currently recognised. In this paper, morphological and genetic analyses, and study of reproductive mode and anatomy, demonstrate that an endemic Indonesian species A. (Acropora) togianensis, Wallace, 1997, belongs to Isopora. Despite the presence of a clear central axial corallite (indicating sub-genus Acropora), this species has supplementary axial corallites, broods planula larvae rather than broadcast-spawning for external fertilisation and develops stalked ova: all characters in common with the type species of subgenus Isopora A. (Isopora) palifera and the other species for which such data are available, A. (I.) cuneata and A. (I.) brueggemanni. Phylogenies are based on the protein-coding genes, mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) and nuclear histone 2a and 2b (h2ab) also group A. togianensis with these Isoporans. High bootstrapping and Bayesian support in the major lineages of the family Acroporidae demonstrate significant differences between Isopora (including A. togianensis) and Acropora. As the type species of both subgenera, A. (Acropora) muricata (Linneaus 1758) and A. (Isopora) palifera (Lamarck, 1816) are used in these analyses, elevation of Isopora Studer, 1878 to genus is formally proposed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank: Z. Florian for photography; James Cook University Histology Laboratory for use of facilities and assistance; Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) for sponsorship of research in Indonesia; M. Erdmann, A. Mehta-Erdmann, M. Aw, C. Paporakis, Murex Dive Resort and members of the Tethyana Expedition for support in Indonesia; Y. Chuang for phylogenetic analyses; staff of the Penghu Marine Biology Research Centre (facility of the Taiwan Fishery Research Institute), for assistance during coral spawning and J. Wolstenholme for the Acropora humilis samples. This work was supported by grants from the Australian Research Council to CCW, Academia Sinica Thematic Grants (2002–2004) and Research Centre for Biodiversity, Academia Sinica (RCBAS) Taiwan to CAC. This is the Evolution and Ecology Group, RCBAS contribution no. 45.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Museum of Tropical Queensland, 70-102 Flinders St., Townsville, 4812, Australia

    C. C. Wallace & P. R. Muir

  2. Research Centre for Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, 115, Taiwan

    C. A. Chen

  3. Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan

    C. A. Chen

  4. Seto Marine Biological Station, The Kyoto University, Shirayama, Kyoto, 649-2211, Japan

    H. Fukami

Authors
  1. C. C. Wallace
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  2. C. A. Chen
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  3. H. Fukami
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  4. P. R. Muir
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Correspondence to C. C. Wallace.

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Communicated by Biology Editor M. van Oppen.

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Wallace, C.C., Chen, C.A., Fukami, H. et al. Recognition of separate genera within Acropora based on new morphological, reproductive and genetic evidence from Acropora togianensis, and elevation of the subgenus Isopora Studer, 1878 to genus (Scleractinia: Astrocoeniidae; Acroporidae). Coral Reefs 26, 231–239 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-007-0203-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-007-0203-4

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