Porolithon is a genus of red algae comprising 24 species.[1] The Porolithon are the primary reef building algae. When coral reefs reach sea level, the corals break under the high energy impact of the waves, while the coralline red algae, primarily Porolithon, continuing building and cementing the reef structure.[2]
| Porolithon | |
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_(San_Salvador_Island,_Bahamas)_4_(16053320071).jpg) | |
| Porolithon pachydermum | |
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| Genus: | Porolithon Foslie, 1909[1] |
Species
Accepted species in the genus are:[3]
- Porolithon aequinoctiale (Foslie) Foslie
- Porolithon antillarum (Foslie & M.Howe) Foslie & M.Howe
- Porolithon castellum E.Y.Dawson
- Porolithon colliculosum Masaki
- Porolithon imitatum R.A.Townsend & G.W.Saunders
- Porolithon improcerum (Foslie & M.Howe) M.Howe
- Porolithon maneveldtii R.A.Townsend & Huisman
- Porolithon marshallense W.R.Taylor
- Porolithon oligocarpum (Foslie) W.H.Adey
- Porolithon onkodes (Heydrich) Foslie - tip
- Porolithon penroseae R.A.Townsend & P.W.Gabrielson
- Porolithon praetextatum (Foslie) Foslie
- Porolithon sandvicense (Foslie) Foslie
- Porolithon sonorense E.Y.Dawson