Madreporaria

views updated Jun 11 2018

Madreporaria (Scleractinia; stony corals; class Anthozoa, subclass Zoantharia) An order of colonial (or, more rarely, solitary) corals, which always possess an external ectodermal, calcareous skeleton consisting essentially of radial septa. Septa develop following the pattern of mesenteries in cycles of 6, 12, 24, 48, etc. The order first appeared in the Middle Triassic.

Madreporaria

views updated May 08 2018

Madreporaria See SCLERACTINIA.

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