Vol. 110 - Part III - Zoological Survey of India

78 Rec. zool. Surv. Indiarotting the tissue, while periodically replacing the water.They were then cleaned with a strong water jet toremove any sticking gelatinous tissue. The rottingprocedure was continued if necessary.Detailed skeletal structures were studied underNikon SMZ 1500, trinocular, stereoscopic zoommicroscope, and photographed with the affixed Nikon8.0 megapixel ED camera. Whole corallum photographswere taken using Nikon D 300 using 60 mm macro lensprovided with sufficient artificial lighting. Thespecimens after identification were submitted at theNational Zoological Collections (NZC), Museum ofZoological Survey of India (ZSI), Andaman NicobarRegional Centre (ANRC), Port Blair, and registered inthe Named Register of ZSI, ANRC.RESULTSFamily ACROPORIDAE Verrill, 1901Genus Montipora de Blainville, 1830Montipora danae Edwards & Haime, 1851Material examined : Corallum 10.5 × 10 cm, India,Andaman Nicobar Islands, Ritchies Archipelago, stn.4, 12° 03.128' N; 093° 00.236' E (Fig. I. b), Depth 4 m,6.VII.2009, coll. Rajkumar Rajan, R. Raghuraman, & C.R.Sreeraj, Reg. No. 4656–NZC–ANRC. (PLATE-I).Description : Colonies are thin plates which are oftenfound inwardly wounding, may give the appearance ofinverted conical folds. The surface is covered withdome shaped, verrucae of 1.5-2.4 mm (thickness inperpendicular to the ridges). The verrucae are oftenfused and forming radiating ridges near the laminaredges. Verrucae are arranged in line to the radiatingridges in the laminar sheet. The spinules in thecoenosteal valleys are very fine, however they are morefiner in verrucae, both types have elaborate ends.Corallites are immersed and arranged between theverrucae and in the valleys between the ridges in thelaminar plate. They are never present on the verrucae.The calices are 0.5-0.7 mm in diameter. Theca isdistinguishable in some corallites. The primary septa