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Montastraea
| Description | Montastraea is a genus of colonial stony coral found in the Caribbean seas. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Montastraeidae and is also a monotypic itself, being represented by the single species, Montastraea cavernosa, commonly known as great star coral. It forms into massive boulders and sometimes develops into plates. Its polyps are the size of a human thumb and fully extend at night. From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montastraea, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source Data |
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| Rank | genus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy (GBIF,PBDB) | Life : Animalia : Cnidaria : Anthozoa : Scleractinia : Montastraeidae : Montastraea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomic Status (GBIF) | accepted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification (PBDB,GBIF) |
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| Scientific Name | Montastraea de Blainville, 1830 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name Published In | de Blainville, Henri M. D. 1830. Zoophytes. In: Dictionnaire des sciences naturelles, dans lequel on traitre méthodiquement des differéns êtres de la nature, considérés soit en eux-mêmes, d’après l’état actuel de nos connoissances, soit relativement a l’utlité qu’en peuvent retirer la medicine, l’agriculture, le commerce et les arts. Edited by F. G. Levrault. Tome 60. Paris, Le Normat., Paris.: 1-548, Plates 1-68. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opinions (PBDB) |
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| Status (PBDB) | extant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxon Size (PBDB) | 52 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Extant Size (PBDB) | 7 (13%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Recorded Appearance | 222 - 216 Ma Late/Upper Triassic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Environment | marine (based on Scleractinia) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motility | stationary, attached (based on Scleractinia) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vision | blind (based on Anthozoa) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diet | microcarnivore, photosymbiotic (based on Scleractinia) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reproduction | alternating, asexual, dispersal=water,planktonic (based on Scleractinia) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taphonomy | aragonite (based on Scleractinia) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primary Reference (PBDB) | J. J. Sepkoski, Jr. 2002. A compendium of fossil marine animal genera. Bulletins of American Paleontology 363:1-560 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montastraea |
Fossil Distribution
Subtaxa
| Name | Status | Common Name(s) | Fossil Occurrences | Oldest | Youngest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montastraea antilliana species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea canalis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea cavernosa ✝ species | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 45 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 0.13 Ma Pleistocene | |
| Montastraea cylindrica species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 46 | 3.60 Ma Pliocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Montastraea endothecata ✝ species | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 86 | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | 2.59 Ma Pleistocene | |
| Montastraea eocenica species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea faveolata species | listed (PBDB) | 49 | 5.33 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Montastraea franksi species | listed (PBDB) | 24 | 5.33 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Montastraea menardi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea nancyi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea nodosa species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea prima species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastraea rotunda species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Montastrea alpina species | listed (PBDB) | 4 | 47.8 Ma Eocene | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | |
| Montastrea antilliana species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 47.8 Ma Eocene | 47.8 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea bachmayeri ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | |
| Montastrea brevis species | listed (PBDB) | 18 | 20.4 Ma Miocene | 3.60 Ma Pliocene | |
| Montastrea bumi ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 28.4 Ma Oligocene | 28.4 Ma Oligocene | |
| Montastrea cavernosa species | listed (PBDB) | 119 | 28.4 Ma Oligocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Montastrea colemani species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 0.78 Ma Pleistocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Montastrea costata ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 10 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 20.4 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea cribraria ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | ||||
| Montastrea cubana species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 83.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 83.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea cylindrica species | listed (PBDB) | 15 | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | 2.59 Ma Pleistocene | |
| Montastrea davisina ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | |
| Montastrea endothecata species | listed (PBDB) | 24 | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | 3.60 Ma Pliocene | |
| Montastrea eocenica species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea exsculpta species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea felixi ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 2 | 5.33 Ma Miocene | 2.59 Ma Pleistocene | |
| Montastrea gabbi species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | |
| Montastrea imperatoris species | listed (PBDB) | 418 | 28.4 Ma Oligocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Montastrea inaequalis species | listed (PBDB) | 19 | 33.9 Ma Oligocene | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | |
| Montastrea intermedia ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 3 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 3.60 Ma Pliocene | |
| Montastrea irradians species | listed (PBDB) | 17 | 47.8 Ma Eocene | 23.0 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea katzeri ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 37.2 Ma Eocene | 37.2 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea lauensis ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 2.59 Ma Pleistocene | 2.59 Ma Pleistocene | |
| Montastrea lepidoides species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea lilli ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea linggapadangensis species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 5.33 Ma Miocene | 5.33 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea lyonsi ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 20.4 Ma Miocene | 20.4 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea nodosa species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 41.3 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea orbitoides species | listed (PBDB) | 2 | 122 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 122 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea pecosensis ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea pediculata species | listed (PBDB) | 2 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 86.3 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea peninsularis ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | |
| Montastrea pomeli species | listed (PBDB) | 2 | 101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 93.5 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea prima species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea roemeriana ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 3 | 113 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 109 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea rotunda species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea rudis ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | 56.0 Ma Paleocene | |
| Montastrea schuberti ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 37.2 Ma Eocene | 37.2 Ma Eocene | |
| Montastrea schweinfurthi species | listed (PBDB) | 4 | 20.4 Ma Miocene | 20.4 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea tabulata ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 5 | 37.2 Ma Eocene | 5.33 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea tampaensis species | listed (PBDB) | 13 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 20.4 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea tchihatcheffi species | listed (PBDB) | 5 | 23.0 Ma Miocene | 13.7 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea texana ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
| Montastrea trinitatis species | listed (PBDB) | 26 | 23.0 Ma Miocene | 5.33 Ma Miocene | |
| Montastrea valenciennesii species | listed (PBDB) | 14 | 3.60 Ma Pliocene | 0.01 Ma Pleistocene | |
| Phyllocoenia sculpta species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Phyllocoenia subincrassata ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 222 Ma Late/Upper Triassic | 222 Ma Late/Upper Triassic | |
Obsolete Names
Synonymy List
| Year | Name and Author |
|---|---|
| 1830 | Montastraea Blainville |
| 1848 | Phyllocoenia Milne-Edwards and Haime |
| 1941 | Montastrea Wells p. 305 |
| 1954 | Heliastreopsis Chevalier |
| 1956 | Montastraea Wells |
| 1957 | Phyllocoeniopsis Alloiteau |
| 1989 | Phyllocoeniopsis Eliasova p. 90 |
| 1992 | Montastrea Squires and Demetrion p. 20 |
| Year | Name and Author |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Phyllocoenia Turnsek |
| 2000 | Montastrea Veron p. 212 |
| 2002 | Montastrea Sepkoski, Jr. |
| 2002 | Phyllocoenia Sepkoski, Jr. |
| 2006 | Phyllocoenia Baron-Szabo p. 81 |
| 2011 | Montastrea Kiessling et al. |
| 2014 | Montastraea Huang et al. |
References
Data courtesy of: PBDB: The Paleobiology Database, Creative Commons CC-BY licenced. , GBIF: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, various licences, iDigBio, various licences, and EOL: The Encyclopedia of Life (Open Data Public Domain). Because fossils are made of minerals too!
Honeymoon Island, Dunedin, Pinellas County, Florida, USA