Pavona varians
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Agariciidae
Genus: Pavona
Species:
P. varians
Binomial name
Pavona varians
Verrill, 1864

Pavona varians, also known by its common name corrugated coral, is a species from the genus Pavona.[1][2][3] Pavona varians is a type of hermatypic coral commonly distributed across tropic environments.[4] Distribution of the coral include the equatorial Indian and Pacific Ocean, and notably, not found in the Atlantic ocean.[4][5][6] Pavona varians have also been found to be distributed as North as the sea of Japan, in the Red Sea, and islands off the Pacific coast of Columbia and Costa Rica.[5] Pavona varians are typically found an average of 45 feet below water on vertical surfaces in turbid, nutrient rich, water.[6][7] Specifically, Pavona varians are found between crevices of the reef crest habitats and back reef habitats, including lagoons.[6]

The Pavona varians are an encrusting species of coral that vary in color and tend to have red polyps, a green coenosteum, as well as blue mouths.[7] Pavona varians differ in structure from many of the other polyps in their genus as they have unique ridges and sometimes take on a cup-like form.[7] Pavona varians typically grow small plate-like colonies no larger than 25 centimeters on rocky surfaces, preferably in calm waters.[6] Researchers have noted the coral's ability to rapidly colonize environments where other species of coral have either died or struggled to colonize.[6] Notably, Pavona varians has been able to colonize areas where once large colonies of Goniopora and Porites once were distributed.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Pavona varians". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  2. ↑ National Research Council (U.S.).; Council (U.S.), National Research; Institution, Smithsonian; Institution, Smithsonian; History (U.S.), National Museum of Natural; States, United (2011). Atoll research bulletin. Washington, D.C: [Smithsonian Press.
  3. ↑ Royal Society of Western Australia; Australia, Royal Society of Western (2012). Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. Vol. 95. Perth: The Society.
  4. 1 2 Rodriguez, Laura; Garcia, Juan Jose; Tuya, Fernando; Martinez, Brezo (April 23, 2020). "Environmental Factors Driving the Distribution of the Tropical Coral Pavona Varians: Predictions under a Climate Change Scenario". Marine Ecology. 41 (3): 1–12 – via Wiley Online Library.
  5. 1 2 "Corals of the World". www.coralsoftheworld.org. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 “Pavona Varians (Verrill, 1864).” Worms - World Register of Marine Species, https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php .
  7. 1 2 3 Chalias, Vincent (2019-04-02). "Pavona varians: The Underrated King of Plasticity". Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog. Retrieved 2023-03-19.

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