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<p>Caryophylliidae is the most speciose family of Scleractinia with a wide range of ecological and morphological traits. Across previous phylogenetic studies, the Caryophylliidae have consistently been recovered as polyphyletic and have remained mostly unresolved. This study is the first assessment of the genera <i>Paracyathus</i> and <i>Polycyathus</i> from Thai waters. This study provides an extensive morphological investigation of the <i>Paracyathus</i>/<i>Polycyathus</i> clade, expands and highlights previously conflicting literature on the genera, and elaborates upon their unique ecological habit and significance in relation to their confamilials. We demonstrate how conflicting approaches to traditional morphological assessments have contributed to the increasingly unstable status of these groups. Herein, we describe three distinct species of <i>Paracyathus</i> (<i>Paracyathus</i> cf. <i>rotundatus</i>, <i>Paracyathus</i> cf. <i>pruinosus</i>, and <i>Paracyathus</i> sp.) and apozooxanthellate <i>Polycyathus chaishanensis</i> from the Gulf of Thailand through the lens of conventional macromorphological traits, ontogeny, and ecology, as well as expanding upon micromorphological traits with scanning electron microscopy. We demonstrate the lack of clarity in the literature when delimiting the genera <i>Paracyathus</i> and <i>Polycyathus</i> and how intraspecific variation within certain species of colonial <i>Paracyathus</i> further challenges these genus boundaries. This study closely examines skeletal pigmentation as a potential diagnostic character alongside the use of micromorphological characters, in particular, the development of paliform lobes, columellar structures, and granulation of the septal faces and interarea. The study notes that the use of micromorphological characters alongside traditional macromorphology has been more effective in delimiting corals with considerable interspecific variation and convergently evolved traits.</p>

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A morphological assessment of Paracyathus and Polycyathus corals (Anthozoa: Scleractinia) from the Gulf of Thailand

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月11日

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  • Celicia Nicharee Cordes,
  • Mathinee Yucharoen,
  • Rahul Mehrotra

摘要

Caryophylliidae is the most speciose family of Scleractinia with a wide range of ecological and morphological traits. Across previous phylogenetic studies, the Caryophylliidae have consistently been recovered as polyphyletic and have remained mostly unresolved. This study is the first assessment of the genera Paracyathus and Polycyathus from Thai waters. This study provides an extensive morphological investigation of the Paracyathus/Polycyathus clade, expands and highlights previously conflicting literature on the genera, and elaborates upon their unique ecological habit and significance in relation to their confamilials. We demonstrate how conflicting approaches to traditional morphological assessments have contributed to the increasingly unstable status of these groups. Herein, we describe three distinct species of Paracyathus (Paracyathus cf. rotundatus, Paracyathus cf. pruinosus, and Paracyathus sp.) and apozooxanthellate Polycyathus chaishanensis from the Gulf of Thailand through the lens of conventional macromorphological traits, ontogeny, and ecology, as well as expanding upon micromorphological traits with scanning electron microscopy. We demonstrate the lack of clarity in the literature when delimiting the genera Paracyathus and Polycyathus and how intraspecific variation within certain species of colonial Paracyathus further challenges these genus boundaries. This study closely examines skeletal pigmentation as a potential diagnostic character alongside the use of micromorphological characters, in particular, the development of paliform lobes, columellar structures, and granulation of the septal faces and interarea. The study notes that the use of micromorphological characters alongside traditional macromorphology has been more effective in delimiting corals with considerable interspecific variation and convergently evolved traits.