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Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences
Vol. 46 (08), August 2017, pp. 1627-1631
First report of four species of azooxanthellate scleractinian corals in
Indian waters from Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Tamal Mondal*, C. Raghunathan & K. Venkataraman1
Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, National Coral Reef Research Institute, Haddo, Port Blair-
744 102, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
1 Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, M- Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, India
*[E-mail: t_genetics@yahoo.com]
Received 13 March 2015 ; revised 22 November 2016
Azooxanthellate corals are the ecological group with around 48% of total number of stony corals of the world’s
ocean. Four species of azooxanthellate corals were newly recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
These are Balanophyllia galapagensis Vaughan, 1918 and Cladopsammia eguchii Wells, 1982 (Dendrophylliidae),
Desmophyllum dianthus (Esper, 1794) (Caryophylliidae) and Truncatoflabellum spheniscus (Dana, 1846)
(Flabelliidae). Records of the three genera Cladopsammia, Desmophyllum and Truncatoflabellum are new for
Indian waters. This paper deals with the new distribution range of the four aforementioned coral species and their
morphological attributes.
[Key words: Azooxanthellate, Dendrophylliidae, Caryophylliidae, Flabelliidae, New record, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands]
Introduction
Scleractinian corals are the most productive
ecosystem that harbor a wide range of species
diversity and aggregation. Cairns1 listed
approximately 1490 valid species of extant
scleractinian corals while Appeltans et al.2 listed a
total of 1520 species of scleractinians. Roberts &
Cairns3 reported a total of 1488 species of
scleractinian corals, of which 622 species are
available beyond the depth of 50 m. So,
taxonomical approaches for the identification and
description of any species are most important
aspect to work with. All the species belong to the
order Scleractinia are described under 27 families
(recognized till now) but due to their
morphological features they are ecologically
divided into two categories such as hermatypic
i.e. reef building corals and ahermatypic i.e. non-
reef building corals; while depending on their
biological attributes, they are divided into two
categories viz. zooxanthallate corals and
azooxanthellate corals. Azooxanthellate corals are
without symbiotic dinoflagellate algae4.
Azooxanthellate corals comprised of 723 species
among them 532 species are solitary in habit
while rest of the species i.e. 191 species are
colonial5. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
represents a total of 579 species of scleractinian
corals under 94 genera and 19 families6. Usually
four families viz. Dendrophylliidae,
Caryophylliidae, Flabelliidae and Rhizangiidae
are reported from these islands among the
reported 19 families to represent azooxanthellate
corals along with some zooxanthellate corals.
Present paper describes morphological
characterization with new range distribution of
four species of azooxanthellate corals in Indian
waters. Among the four newly recoded species,
three genera i.e. Cladopsammia under
Dendrophylliidae, Desmophyllum under
Caryophylliidae and Truncatoflabellum under
Flabelliidae family are also first time recorded
from Indian waters.
Material and Methods
Undersea faunal surveys were carried out in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands during May 2013
to September 2013 by employing Self Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA)
diving up to the maximum depth of 40 m.
Sampling was carried out to examine detailed
morphological characters for taxonomic study.
INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 46, NO. 08, AUGUST 2017
Sampled specimens were kept in freshwater for
few days and washed thoroughly with running
water and dried. Taxonomic identification was
made in conjunction with Cairns7, 8 while
consultation was made for species database with
Cairns & Kitahara9. Corallites of the specimens
were examined in detail to study the
morphological features under stereo microscope
(Leica, M 205 A DFC 500). On completion of
detailed structural study, the specimens were
registered in National Zoological Collections and
deposited at Zoological Survey of India, ANRC,
Port Blair.
Results
Four species of azooxanthellate scleractinian
corals were identified as new to their range
distribution from India. Taxonomical
characterizations are described below.
Family DENDROPHYLLIIDAE Gray, 1847
Genus Balanophyllia Wood, 1844
1. Balanophyllia galapagensis Vaughan, 1906
Plate 1 (A-E)
Material Examined: Fifteen samples were
observed at Rutland Island (Lat. 11°29.485’N and
Long. 92°40.577’E) at the depth of 28 m on
22.v.2013. One specimen was sampled for
taxonomical studies (Reg. No.: ZSI/ANRC-
11476).
Description: Corallum is solitary, ceratoid, and
firmly attached through a thick pedicel. Costae are
slightly convex and granular, separated by deep,
thin intercostal striae. Septa are hexamerally
arranged in four complete cycles. Primary septa
are usually the same size, slightly exsert and
extend to columella. Secondary septa are
rudimentary, minutely exsert, and extend up to
columella. Paliform lobes are present. Septa and
pali are covered with prominent pointed granular
structure. Fossa is shallow, containing a large
compact elliptical columella composed of fused
fascicular elements.
Distribution: India- Andaman and Nicobar
Islands; Elsewhere- Galapagos.
Family DENDROPHYLLIIDAE Gray, 1847
Genus Cladopsammia Lacaze-Duthiers, 1897
2. Cladopsammia eguchii Wells, 1982 Plate 1 (F-
I)
Material Examined: Thirty seven samples were
observed at Oliver Island (Lat. 12°59.585'N and
Long. 92°58.154'E) at the depth of 15 to 25 m on
14.vii.2013. One specimen was sampled for
taxonomical studies (Reg. No.: ZSI/ANRC-
11642; specimen was registered as Balanophyllia
eguchii Wells, 1982– synonym).
Description: Corallum is colonial, small clusters
of corallites formed by extratentacular budding
from basal coenosteum and directly from corallite
theca. Second generation buds are common.
Corallites are cylindrical. Calices are elliptical to
greatly elongate. Theca of corallites is covered by
thin epitheca. Bryozoans are always within the
intercorallite spaces. They are keeping pace as the
receding edge zone lays the epitheca. Costae
equal in width with spiny granules. Intercostal
striate is deep and porous. Septa are hexamerally
arranged with variable septa depending on size of
calice. Fossa is deep and elongate. Columella is
rudimentary and composed of small crispate
elements attached to the lowest inner edges of the
larger septa.
Distribution: India- Andaman and Nicobar
Islands; Elsewhere- Australia, Gulf of Panama,
Hawaii and Japan.
Family CARYOLLIIDAE Milne Edwards and
Haime, 1848
Genus Desmophyllum Ehrenberg, 1834
3. Desmophyllum dianthus (Esper, 1794) Plate 1
(J-N)
Material Examined: Two samples were observed
at Oliver Island (Lat. 12°59.585'N and Long.
92°58.154'E) at the depth of 21 m on 14.vii.2013.
One specimen was sampled for taxonomical
studies (Reg. No.: ZSI/ANRC-11643; specimen
was registered as Desmophyllum cristagalli Milne
Edwards and Haime, 1848 – synonym).
Description: Corallum is solitary and variable in
shape, ranging from subcylindrical to ceratoid to
trochoid. Coralla have flared calices. Corallum is
firmly attached through a thick pedicel and a thin
expansive basal encrustation. Septa are
hexamerally arranged in five complete cycles. All
septa are highly exsert. The inner edges of all
septa are straight and vertical. The third orders of
septa extend about 2/3rd distance to center of
fossa. The fourth orders of septa extend about half
distance to center of fossa. The fifth order of septa
is about 1/5th of that distance. Septal granulation
is inconspicuous, giving the appearance of smooth
septal faces. Fossa is extremely deep, not
encumbered with pali or columella.
Distribution: India- Andaman and Nicobar
Islands; Elsewhere- Australia, Chile, Cuba,
Ecuador, New Zealand and United States.
1628
MONDAL et al.: FOUR SPECIES OF AZOOXANTHELLATE SCLERACTINIAN CORALS
Family FLABELLIDAE Bourne, 1905
Genus Truncatoflabellum Cairns, 1989
4. Truncatoflabellum spheniscus (Dana, 1846)
Plate 1 (O-U)
Material Examined: One sample was observed at
Gandhi Nagar of Great Nicobar Island (Lat.
06°51.197’N and Long. 93°54.026’E) at the depth
of 35 m on 27.ix.2013. The specimen was
sampled for taxonomical studies (Reg. No.:
ZSI/ANRC-11475).
Description: Anthocyathus is robust and highly
compressed. The planar thecal faces are meeting
in rounded thecal edges that bear 1 or 2 pairs of
thecal spines. Upper calicular margin is evenly
arched and smooth to very finely serrated. The
fine chevron-shaped thecal growth lines form
apices. Septa are essentially hexamerally arranged
in six distinguishable cycles. Primary septa i.e.
first to fourth order of septa are slightly concave
(notched) near calicular margin but project well
into fossa and have slightly sinuous inner edges
that thicken near the columella. Second order of
septa is medium-sized specimens sometimes
slightly less wide than third order of septa, but
their lower, inner edges also attain the columella.
Secondary septa i.e. fifth order of septa only about
half the width of a secondary and do not attain the
columella while the tertiary septa i.e. sixth order
of septa are rudimentary, only about one-quarter
width of a secondary. Fossa can be seen as deep
and elongate. The columella is well developed
and prominent.
Distribution: India- Andaman and Nicobar
Islands; Elsewhere- Australia, Indonesia, Japan,
Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and
Taiwan.
Discussion
The insight of scleractinian research is mostly
managed on the zooxanthellate corals due to their
habitat distribution mostly up to the depth of 40-
50 m where sunlight penetrates. But the
distributions of azooxanthellate corals are not
confined to the shallow depth range rather they
are well distributed from the intertidal zone to the
maximum depth of 6328 m10-12. The depth range
of 200 to 1000 m is the most favorable habitat for
a plenty number of azooxanthellate corals13.
Studies of Indian azooxanthellate corals were
made by SCUBA diving up to the maximum
depth of 43 m12. Successive exploration of
azooxanthellate corals are taken care of and three
species of dendrophylliid and one species of
caryophylliid corals were reported from Andaman
and Nicobar Islands recently12, 14. Indian
scleractinian database represents a total of 46
species of azooxanthellate corals belong to four
families while 38 species are reported from
Andaman and Nicobar Islands with two endemic
species6, 15. Among the previously reported four
families of Indian azooxanthellate corals, three
families such as Dendrophylliidae,
Caryophylliidae and Flabelliidae include all the
four newly recorded corals from Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. A total of 23 species of
azooxanthellate Dendrophylliidae, 13 species of
Caryophylliidae and one species of Flabelliidae
corals are already reported from Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. New report of two species of
dendrophylliid corals such as Balanophyllia
galapagensis and Cladopsammia eguchii, one
species of caryophylliid coral Desmophyllum
dianthus and one species of flabelliid coral
Truncatoflabellum spheniscus will increase the
azooxanthellate database of Andaman and
Nicobar Islands as well as India. Among the
reported four newly recorded species, three
genera i.e. Cladopsammia, Desmophyllum and
Truncatoflabellum are reported for the first time
in Indian waters from Andaman and Nicobar
Islands. Global biodiversity of azooxanthellate
corals represents near about 3:1 ratio in their
growth form as solitary and colonial species5.
Present work also denotes the record of three
species of solitary corals and 1 species of colonial
species. Geographical, location of these group of
islands are very close to the “Coral triangle”
which may influence the interest for the search of
azooxanthellate corals in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands as Philippines and Indonesia together
harbours a total of 206 species of azooxanthellate
corals16. So, it is expected to document and
explore more azooxanthellate species of corals if
the studies as well as scientific explorations are
carried out in greater depth regions beyond the
limit of 43 m of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as
well as Indian waters.
Conclusion
The studies on non-reef building scleractinian
corals are very limited in Indian waters due to
their wide range of distribution from inter-tidal
region to the greater depth of the oceans. Four
species of azooxanthellate corals were
documented as new distributional record to Indian
waters from Andaman and Nicobar Islands during
undersea faunal exploration. Both the colonial and
solitary species were recorded during study.
Among the reported four species of scleractinian
corals, three genera are the also first report to
Indian seas.
1629
INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 46, NO. 08, AUGUST 2017
Plate 1 A-E: Balanophyllia galapagensis Vaughan, 1918 (A-Solitary corolla; B- Granular costae; C- Hexamerical arrangement
of Septa; D- Septal cycles; E- Columella); F-I: Cladopsammia eguchii Wells, 1982 (F- Colonial corallum with second generation
buds; G-Corallites; H- Septal arrangement; I- Deep fossa with rudimentary columella); J-N: Desmophyllum dianthus (Esper,
1794) (J- Solitary corolla; K & L- Costae and their arrangement; M- Coralla with septal arrangement; N- Septal arrangement
showing deep fossa); O-U: Truncatoflabellum spheniscus (Dana, 1846) (O & P- Compressed anthocyathus; Q- Hexamerical
arrangement of septa; R- Septa with deep fossa; S- Hexamerical arrangement of septa; T- Septal organization; U- Columella)
Acknowledgements
Authors are grateful to the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
Government of India for providing financial
assistance to undertake the study through the
projects of National Coral Reef Research
Institute, Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair.
Authors are also thankful to Dr. Stephen D.
Cairns, Research Zoologist and Curator of
Corals, Smithsonian Institution, National
Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
for extensive literature supports.
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