Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2017, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (1): 56-64.doi: 10.11978/2016015CSTR: 32234.14.2016015

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Skeletal microstructure observations and calcification process analysis of two species of Montipora

Taonian GENG1, Xuemei YAO1(), Ying ZHANG1, Xialing XIE1, Min CUI2, Daoming LIN2   

  1. 1. Ocean College, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
    2. Administration of Dazhou Island Ocean-ecology National Nature Reserve, Wanning 571500, China
  • Received:2016-02-15 Revised:2016-09-08 Online:2017-01-18 Published:2017-01-19
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China (31460555);State Oceanic Administration Project (HZ2012-174);“Central and Western Colleges and Universities Enhance the Comprehensive Strength” Funding Projects

Abstract:

Montipora is the second species-rich scleractinian genus that is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Montipora digitata and Montipora fragilis, two species of branching Montipora, from the South China Sea were selected in this study, and its skeletal microstructures and calcification processes were observed and analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) combined with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). The results showed that the two species of Montipora skeletal basic elements were substantially the same (including calice, septum, theca, dissepiment, etc.), but there were many differences in details. Coenosteum surface of M. digitata was glabrous and recticular formation with shorter spines (about 40 μm) and each calices (about 1 mm) were separated by big interval. The septa of the first cycle was poorly developed except that the shape of its direct septum was sheet. In addition, teeth along the margin of septa developed well and had flat shape. The coenosteum surface of M. fragilis was tuberculate and recticular formation with many small spines (about 100 μm) and irregular nodular ridge between the calices. Compared with M. digitata, the first-cycle septa of M. fragilis had degenerated teeth. Main ingredients of the two kinds of coral skeletons were aragonite crystals, with most being tufted-crystals and a few being pebble-crystals. EDS analysis showed that the components of calcium carbonate from the skeleton were not directly generated, but formed in the following four processes: 1) the calcium was concentrated to develop calcium point; 2) calcium combined with carbon and oxygen, and the content of carbon was higher than that of oxygen; 3) aragonite crystals tended to look regular, and the content of carbon decreased and that of oxygen increased; and 4) a lot of aragonite crystals gathered into sclerodermite in orderly arrangement to form mature skeleton.

Key words: Montipora digitata, Montipora fragilis, skeletal microstructure, calcification process