"Diaseris fragilis" in the Gulf Area and at Hawaii

Bugwotro at upandang.wasantara.net.id Bugwotro at upandang.wasantara.net.id
Thu Apr 16 12:59:05 EDT 1998


Hello Bruce and other coral-listers,

If the specimen of "Diaseris fragilis" recorded by Simon Wilson would
belong to Fungia (Cycloseris) fragilis, then this would indeed be a first
record for the Gulf area. There is probably no earlier record of any
auto-fragmenting mushroom coral species from that area. The only Fungia
(Cycloseris) species that I know of from that area, is F. (C.) curvata,
which is rarely found in fragmenting stage (only known from Galapagos).

According to me, the only two fungiid species showing fragmentation at
Hawaii are Fungia (Cycloseris) vaughani and F. (C.) distorta. Corals
dredged at Hawaii have remained very small, either in complete or
fragmented shape.  These diminutive specimens are in coral collections at
the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution),
Washington DC and probably also at the B.P. Bishop Museum at Hawaii. The
type locality of F. (C.)  vaughani is Hilo, Hawaii. The lectotype is a
relatively large specimen (5 cm in length). Specimens of Fungia (C.)
cyclolites have also been collected from Hawaii, but so far not in the
fragmenting "Diaseris"  shape.

Bert W. Hoeksema

Buginesia Program WOTRO-UNHAS
PO Box 1624
Ujung Pandang 90016
Indonesia
Bugwotro at Upandang.wasantara.net.id

starting July 1998 I can be reached at:
National Museum of Natural History Naturalis
PO Box 9517
Leiden, The Netherlands
Hoeksema at Naturalis.nnm.nl


Bruce Carlson wrote:
>
> Simon,
>
> I'm sure there are others more knoweldgeable than I about this species,
> but I know that in Fiji, Diaseris fragilis is locally very abundant.  This
> species ranges here to Hawaii too but I have not encountered it here.
>
> Bruce Carlson
> Waikiki Aquarium
> ********************************
>




Bruce Carlson wrote:
>
> Simon,
>
> I'm sure there are others more knoweldgeable than I about this species,
> but I know that in Fiji, Diaseris fragilis is locally very abundant.  This
> species ranges here to Hawaii too but I have not encountered it here.
>
> Bruce Carlson
> Waikiki Aquarium
> ********************************
>
> On Mon, 13 Apr 1998, Simon Wilson wrote:
>
> > Dear Coral-listers
> >
> > In Oman there are plans to build a large fertiliser manufacturing plant on the coast.
> >  During the baseline survey, a Fungiid coral, identified by a leading coral taxonomist
> > as Diaseris fragilis, was found.  This appears to be the first record of this species in
> > the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman or the Arabian Gulf.
> >
> > The coral was found in depths of between 16 and 20m on a drowned fossil reef.
> > The substrate was a rock platform with a veneer of coarse sand and rubble.  The
> > benthos also supported a wide range of sponge species, algae, and hydroids, as
> > well as a sparse coral community including Turbinaria mesenterina, Pavona explanulata,
> > Coscinaria monile, Stylocoeniella guntheri amongst others.
> >
> > The issue:  This appears to be a regionally rare coral species, and special measures
> > may be necessary to mitigate against the impacts of construction including extensive
> > dredging.  The issue is how rare is this species on a regional scale and what would
> > be the appropriate measures to reduce the mortality to this population.  Translocation
> > may be possible in small areas where the coral is densest.
> >
> > Questions:
> > Is anyone aware of other records of Diaseris fragilis in the Arabian region other than in
> > the Red Sea ?
> > Is anyone aware of a case of translocating rare corals (or other species) to sites remote
> > from pending construction activity ?
> > Can someone pass on the e-mail addresses of D.A. Fisk and Bert W Hoeksema ?
> >
> > With thanks and regards
> >
> > Simon Wilson
> >
> > OMAN
> >
> >
> >



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