Intracolonial Variation in Siderastrea De Blainville, 1830 (Anthozoa, Scleractinia): Taxonomy Under Challenging Morphological Constraints

Abstract

The morphology of sessile invertebrates, such as scleractinian corals, can be controlled by environmental and genetic mechanisms and, consequently, it is highly variable. Morphological variation has puzzled taxonomists by posing challenges to species classification within cryptic species complexes. The 'Atlantic Siderastrea Complex' is a suitable example. Because of overlapping diagnostic traits, the morphological interspecific limits of this group remain controversial and often resulted in doubtful synonyms. …