Ctenactis echinata

Ctenactis echinata
Conservation status
Least Concern(IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Hexacorallia
Order:	Scleractinia
Family:	Fungiidae
Genus:	Ctenactis
Species:	C. echinata
Binomial name
Ctenactis echinata (Pallas,1766)
Synonyms
List Fungia asperataDana, 1846 Fungia echinata(Pallas, 1766) Fungia ehrenbergi(Leuckart, 1841) Fungia giganteaDana, 1846 Fungia pectinataEhrenberg, 1834 Haliglossa echinata(Pallas, 1766) Herpetolithas ehrenbergiiLeuckart, 1841 Herpetolithas ruepelliiLeuckart, 1841 Madrepora echinataPallas, 1766

Ctenactis echinatais a free-livingspeciesof solitary disc coral in thefamilyFungiidae.It is native to theIndo-Pacificregion. This is a common species throughout its wide range and theInternational Union for Conservation of Naturehas rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Description

Ctenactis echinatais a medium to large oval disc coral, growing to a length of about 25 cm (10 in) and a width of 10 cm (4 in). It has an axial furrow extending along most of its length with usually a single mouth opening, but occasionally there may be more than one. The primaryseptaare thick and heavily toothed with large triangular teeth. In between them are one to five secondary septa, smaller and lightly toothed. A large individual may have more than a thousand septa. Thecostae,on the underside of the coral, are poorly defined and have long arborescent or cylindrical spines arranged in radial rows. The colour of this coral is usually pale brown.

Distribution and habitat

Ctenactis echinatais native to the Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to China, Japan, Indonesia and northern Australia, as well as various island groups in the western and central Pacific Ocean. It is found on reef flats and slopes and in lagoons to depths of 20 m (66 ft).