{{Short description|Genus of corals}} {{Speciesbox | parent_authority = Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1851<ref>{{cite WoRMS |author=WoRMS |year=2013 |title=''Stylaraea'' Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 |id=205751 |accessdate=2014-02-17}}</ref> | taxon = Stylaraea punctata | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)<ref name=WoRMS>{{cite WoRMS |author=WoRMS |year=2013 |title=''Stylaraea punctata'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |id=212178 |accessdate=2014-02-17}}</ref> | synonyms = (Species) * ''Madrepora punctata'' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> * ''Porites punctata'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> |status=DD |status_system=IUCN3.1 |status_ref=<ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Sheppard, A. |author2=Fenner, D. |author3=Edwards, A. |author4=Abrar, M. |author5=Ochavillo, D. |date=2014 |title=''Stylaraea punctata'' |volume=2014 |article-number=e.T133364A54245520 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T133364A54245520.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> }}
'''''Stylaraea''''' is a genus of marine stony corals in the family Poritidae. It is a monotypic genus and the only species is '''''Stylaraea punctata'''''. This coral is native to shallow tidal pools in tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
==Description== ''Stylaraea punctata'' is probably the smallest of the zooxanthellate corals, being circular, encrusting, and usually less than {{convert|1|cm|1|abbr=on}} in diameter. The polyps are flower-like and less than {{convert|1|mm|2|abbr=on}} across, each having twelve tentacles. The cup-shaped corallites in which they sit have a solid central columella and poorly-developed calcareous septa in two whorls of six. The colouring of this coral is usually pale brown or purple with white septa and columella.<ref name=MSIP>{{cite web |url=http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=corals&menuentry=groepen&id=123&tab=beschrijving |title=Genus ''Stylaraea'' |work=Reef Corals of the Indo-Malayan Seas |publisher=Marine Species Identification Portal |access-date=2014-02-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0370 |title=Fact sheet: ''Stylaraea punctata'' |publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science |access-date=2014-02-17}}</ref>
==Distribution and habitat== ''Stylaraea punctata'' is known from widely separated locations in the tropical Indo-Pacific region including East Africa, the Seychelles, Indonesia, the Great Barrier Reef and Guam. It is possible that it is present in other locations as it is easily overlooked. Its habitat is shallow tidal pools seldom more than half a metre deep, just above the sediment and hidden under dead pieces of coral or under massive coralline algae.<ref name=MSIP/> In these locations it suffers little competition from other coral species.<ref name=iucn/>
==Status== The IUCN lists ''Stylaraea punctata'' as "Data deficient" as there is insufficient evidence to judge its status and whether any conservation measures are required. Like other corals, this species is likely to be affected by such factors as a rise in sea temperature and ocean acidification due to climate change, and as a result be more susceptible to coral diseases.<ref name=iucn>{{Cite iucn | author = Sheppard, A. | author2 = Fenner, D. | author3 = Edwards, A. | author4 = Abrar, M. | author5 = Ochavillo, D. | title = ''Stylaraea punctata'' | volume = 2014 | article-number = e.T133364A54245520 | date = 2014 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T133364A54245520.en | access-date = 11 January 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q17141615}}
Category:Poritidae Category:Taxa named by Henri Milne-Edwards Category:Cnidaria genera Category:Taxa named by Jules Haime