Determination of Some Pacific Huricea species Using Morphology and Spicule Analysis
Abstract
A few investigators have attempted to clear up the confusion surrounding many Huricea species, yet the confusion continues to be compounded by improper identification in many books, which have based identification on polyp color, chemical properties, and morphological variations. Both Aurivillius (1931) and Haderlie, Hand, and Gladfelter (1980) mention that H. californica may be synonymous with H. appressa, yet Haderlie, Hand, and Gladfelter only give references based on chemical properties, which is not sufficient evidence to establish synonymy, and Aurivillius presents no evidence at all for the comparison. Some descriptions of H. californica are based on yellow polyp color; this has proven to be a poor identification characteristic from pictures of H. californica showing a colony with both white and yellow polyps (Mary K. Nicksten, Texas A&M University). Other problems found in the published literature and identification keys of Huricea include striking differences in the description of basic colony shape, two identification keys, Cairns' Guide to the Commoner Shallow-water Gorgonians of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Regions (1976), and Humann's Reef Coral Identification (1993), even differing in which branching pattern is designated lateral or dichotomous. These examples typify the poor repeatability in the work done on Huricea.
The purpose of this research was to explore the question of species synonymy between H. californica and H. appressa, and to enhance the identification of H. fruticosa, a species with some very distinctive characteristics. This goal was accomplished by carefully analyzing spicules and colony morphology.
Description
Program year: 1994/1995Digitized from print original stored in HDR
Subject
coral identificationHuricea species
H. californica
H. appressa
H. fruticosa
spicules
colony morphology
Citation
Hardee, Michelle (1995). Determination of Some Pacific Huricea species Using Morphology and Spicule Analysis. University Undergraduate Research Fellow. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /CAPSTONE -WhiteG _1976.