Table 1 Overview of traits available in ART v1.0, including descriptions and standard categories used.
Trait class | Trait name | Inherited trait? | Description | Categories | Category descriptions | Number of observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Morphological | Coloniality | yes | Whether mature individuals of a species form colonies or are solitary | Colonial Solitary | Mature individuals are colonial Mature individuals are solitary | 1861 |
Morphological | Number of septa per corallite | no | The mean number of septa observed in one corallite | N/A | N/A | 1747 |
Morphological | Corallite integration (Colony form in CTD) | yes | The general arrangement of corallites in a colony | Thamnasteroid Plocoid Subplocoid Cerioid Meandroid Flabelloid Phaceloid Dendroid Solitary | Corallites with confluent septa and lacking defined boundaries Corallites separated by coenosteum Corallites sometimes separated by coenosteum Corallites juxtaposed Corallites arranged in multiple series Corallites arranged in single series Corallites separated and subparallel Corallites separated and irregularly branching Corallum formed by only one individual | 1390 |
Morphological | Corallite width maximum | no | Maximum diameter of the corallite | N/A | N/A | 1378 |
Morphological | Corallite width minimum | no | Minimum diameter of the corallite | N/A | N/A | 1358 |
Morphological | Columella structure | yes | The overall form of the central axial structure within a corallite | Spongy Trabecular Papillose Fascicular Styliform Lamellar Absent | A fine porous mass An irregular group of twisted elements, also referred to as parietal A group of rods A set of twisted lamellae A simple rod In the shape of a single lamella No columella | 1088 |
Morphological | Wall structure | yes | The structure of skeleton enclosing a corallite | Epithecal Parathecal Septothecal Septoparathecal Synapticulothecal Absent | Corallite wall is formed by the epitheca Corallite wall formed by dissepiments Corallite wall formed by thickening of septa Corallite wall formed by thickening of septa and dissepiments Corallite wall formed by rings of synapticulae (horizontal rods between septa) No wall | 972 |
Morphological | Growth form | yes | The shape in which the coral specimen grows | Massive Branching Platy Columnar Discoid Flabellate Fungiform Reptoid Cylindrical Turbinate Patellate Trochoid Cupolate Ceratoid Cuneiform Encrusting | Mound-shaped and hemispherical colony Colony composed of elongate projections Flattened colony with calices on only one side Pillar or finger-like colonies that do not have the secondary branches Nearly all in a single plane, horizontal wall and flat or slightly concave or convex oral surface; solitary Fan-shaped: both solitary and colonial Mushroom shaped; colonial Corallites separated by void space Creeping over some substrate, encrusting; colonial Nearly straight and of uniform diameter except in the apical region; solitary Like trochoid but with wider apical angle, about 70 degrees; solitary With still wider apical angle, about 120 degrees; broadly flattened conical in form; solitary The angle is about 40 degrees; solitary Flat base and highly convex oral surface; solitary Very slenderly conical, horn-shaped, the angle is only about 20 degrees; solitary Wedge-shaped; solitary Encrusting colony | 916 |
Morphological | Distance between centres of corallites | no | The measured distance between the centres of two corallites | N/A | N/A | 909 |
Morphological | Number of septal cycles | no | Number of cycles or orders in the mature corallite | N/A | N/A | 647 |
Morphological | Height | no | The overall height of the specimen, usually a solitary coral | N/A | N/A | 592 |
Morphological | Colony size | no | The maximum diameter of a colony | N/A | N/A | 559 |
Morphological | Corallite width | no | Diameter of the corallite | N/A | N/A | 428 |
Physiological | Zooxanthellate | yes | Whether the species is zooxanthellate (i.e., contains photosymbiotic zooxanthellae) or not Note: This is not directly observable and is inferred. | Zooxanthellate Azooxanthellate Apozooxanthellate | Contain zooxanthellae within their tissues Don't contain zooxanthellae within their tissues Sometimes contain zooxanthellae within their tissues | 387 |
Reproductive | Budding type | yes | The position of new buds relative to the parent corallite wall Note: This is a morphological character that is directly observable | Intracalicular Extracalicular Both None | Occurring within the tentacle ring of the parent polyp Occurring outside the tentacle ring, with daughter corallites forming on the side of the parent corallite Both intra- and extracalicular No budding occurring | 201 |
