Article: Description of dimorphism in Striatopora flexuosa Hall

Striatopora Hall comprises branching favositoid tabulate corals with thick, dilated walls near the outer surface of the colonies. Study of serial sections of the type species, S. flexuosa Hall, shows that individuals within colonies commonly originated in one of two positions, either near the axis of the colony or near the boundary between inner thin-walled and outer thick-walled zones. Corallites originating in the two positions are morphologically distinct and were produced alternately by corallites of the first type. Corallites of the second type did not reproduce asexually. Previous descriptions of S. flexuosa have been based on exteriors of colonies or on material other than the type specimens. Redescription of the type specimens based on thin section studies provides a better basis for understanding the genus.Other named genera of morphologically comparable corals can be differentiated on the basis of wall micro-structure or other features, or are possible subjective synonyms of Striatopora.