Eight-ray finger coral
Madracis formosa
Wells, 1973
Description:
Colonies form densely packed clumps of thick, relatively short branches with blunt and occasionally expanded and double-lobed tips. Colony up to 1.5 m in diameter
Color:
Tan to yellow-brown, yellow-green, green and brown; polyp's mouth yellow.
Corallites:
Corallites separated, up to 1.0-1.3 mm in diameter, usually with eight septa. Columella massive, styliform.
Habitat:
Inhabit deep outer reefs, often on outcroppings and ledges along wall, between 20 and 70 meters.
Remarks:
Some other species of the genus occur on Curacao: Madracis decactis , Madracis mirabilis , Madracis pharensis , Madracis senaria and a recent described species, Madracis carmabi . Recent investigations suggest that M. senaria and M. mirablis form monophyletic groups, while M. formosa , M. pharensis and M. decactis form a species-complex. It seems that hybridization occurs between the M. pharensis / M. decactis -complex and M. formosa and polyphenism within the M. pharensis / M. decactis -complex.