Montipora altasepta
Nemenzo, 1967
Corallium foliate, explanate. Folia thin, 2.5-3 mm thick at edge, slightly thicker inward; irregular folded but generally concavo-convex, overlapping and coalescing when edges meet. Living portion up to 9-10 cm wide; boundary between living and dead portion marked by narrow epitheca. Under surface of lowest folium strewn with cylindrical projections reaching 1.5 cm at most; projections very few on upper folia and on upper surface.
Calicles abundant; average diameter 0.8 mm or less; 1-2 diameters apart. Those within deep depressions flush with surface, conspicuous calices; those on elevated surface usually slightly protruding, less conspicuous calices; in some areas, the latter are arranged in wavy rows of varying length. Not much difference discernible between calicles on both sides.
Septa conspicuous, primaries reaching half radius points but usually asymmetrical, either because of absence of 1 or 2 members of cycle or disposition not regular. Directives not distinguishable. One to 3 very narrow secondaries occasionally present. Uppermost septal spines or primaries projecting around 30 degrees upward so that they are exserted over calice. Circumcalicinal ring present in some, especially older calicles; absent in other. Where ring is absent, calicles grading into general reticulum – this is generally so towards edges.
Intercalicinal reticulum very loose on peripheral areas, becoming more compact towards center; very fine on depressions, coarser on elevations. Featherly tubercles prominent only on undersurface; on uppersurface, low, many-pointed spines (fimbriated) present. Many older calicles made prominent by circle of tubercles around.
Remarks:This coral was at first thought of as M. challengeri. However it differs from the latter in the almost total absence of epitheca, the larger calicles, the lack of reflexion of the margins, and the appearance of prominent tubercles on the lower surface only.
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