Merulinidae is a family of reef-building stony corals.

Merulinidae
Astrea curta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Merulinidae
Verrill, 1865 [1]
Genera
See text
Synonyms
List
  • Pectiniidae
  • Trachyphyllidae Wells, 1956
  • Trachyphylliidae Verrill, 1901

Characteristics

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All the genera in this family are colonial, reef-building corals. Skeletal structures are similar to those of Faviidae but are highly fused, without paliform lobes. The valleys are superficial or may be indistinct because of fan-like spreading or contortions in the ridges. Faviidae and Trachyphylliidae are the most closely related families.[1]

Genera

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Favites pentagona

The World Register of Marine Species includes these genera in the family:[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c WoRMS (2010). "Merulinidae: Verrill, 1865". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2015-03-19.