Meandrinidae is a family of stony corals. The name comes from the Greek, "maiandros" meaning "meandering", referring to the miniature, winding valleys that are found between the corallites. Fossil corals in this family have been found dating back to the Cretaceous.^[2]

Description

Members of the Meandrinidae are colonial corals and form part of the reef building community. They contain zooxanthellae, microscopic algae symbionts that provide them with energy. They come in various different shapes including massive, encrusting, columnar and phaceloid (with tubular corallites united at the base). Although superficially resembling members of the Faviidae family, the corallites of meandrinids have solid, non-porous walls and evenly spaced, solid septae. Most of the genera are found only in the Atlantic Ocean but Ctenella is endemic to the Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.^[2]

Genera

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

• Ctenella Matthai, 1928
• Dendrogyra
• Dichocoenia
• Eusmilia
• Goreaugyra
• Meandrina Lamarck, 1801
• Montigyra

References

v t e Corals and coral reefs Stony corals Scleractinia Blue coral Brain coral Elkhorn coral Hermatypic coral Pillar coral Staghorn coral Table coral Soft corals Alcyonacea Black coral Bamboo coral Organ pipe coral Sea fans Sea pens Coral reefs Atoll reef Cay Fringing reef Microatoll Coral reef fish Census of Coral Reefs The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs Coral regions Deep-water coral Andros, Bahamas Belize Barrier Reef Coral Sea Islands Coral Triangle Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Great Barrier Reef Maldives Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System New Caledonia Barrier Reef Pulley Ridge Raja Ampat Islands Red Sea Southeast Asian coral reefs Coral diseases Coral bleaching Black band disease Skeletal eroding band White band disease White pox disease Protection Coral reef protection Project AWARE Reef Check Reef Ball Coral Reef Alliance International Society for Reef Studies Other Artificial reef Coral aquaculture Coral dermatitis Coral (precious) Coral rag Coral reef organizations Coral sand Coralline algae Human impact Fire coral Reef resilience Rugosa (extinct) Symbiodinium Tabulate (extinct)