Zooxanthellate Scleractinian Corals of the Northern Coast of Sulawesi

Abstract

The coral reefs of the Pulisan region, located at the northeast of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, were studied in order to acquire information concerning their richness in zooxanthellate scleractinian corals. Twenty-one sites were thus prospected covering a total surface of 74 km2. In total, 376 species belonging to 65 genera and 14 families were observed during this study with an average-per-survey site of 109 species. Acropora, Montipora and Porites were the genera with the most species on Pulisan region reefs with 64, 24 and 23 species, respectively. Various estimates of the number of species suggest more than 400, making this area one of the most diversified in zooxanthellate scleractinian corals in the world for such a small area covered and placing it at the epicenter of the triangle of coral diversity.