Synonyms
Cosmoporites Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860;Neoporites Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860
Definition
Porites (Phylum Coelenterata, Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia) is a genus of colonial, zooxanthellate scleractinian coral.
Introduction
Porites are major coral components of reefs, both in the fossil record and in living reefs, in which they can be the most important framework builder. Porites can be found in almost all reef habitats. The genus includes large massive species (Figure 1), which are often a dominant component of back reef coral fauna, but also commonly found on the seaward slope and reef flat. Smaller massive specimens also occur in a wide range of reef environments. The genus also includes encrusting and branching species, the latter of which are more common in protected environments, often forming large monospecific stands on the back reef slope and other lagoonal areas. Skeletal banding and isotopic composition of massive Poritesskeletons provide invaluable...
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Pichon, M. (2011). Porites. In: Hopley, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_273
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_273
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