title: Regular budding modes in a zooxanthellate dendrophylliid Turbinaria peltata (Scleractinia) revealed by X-ray CT imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction.
abstract: The zooxanthellate dendrophylliid coral, Turbinaria peltata (Scleractinia), exhibit various growth forms that increase the photoreception area through the development of coenosteum skeletons. Because it is difficult to make detailed observations of the internal structures, we visualized inner skeletal structures using nondestructive microfocus X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging. After removal of the coenosteum skeletons from the X-ray CT images, three-dimensional 3D-models were reconstructed for individual corallites. Regular budding was observed from the 3D-model and cross-sectional images as follows: 1) lateral corallites occurred only near the two primary septa on one side, apart from a directive primary septum with distinct polarity; 2) the budding occurred upward at acute angles; and 3) these regular structures and polarity were repeated throughout growth with every generation. Even in zooxanthellate dendrophylliids, the same budding modes as observed in azooxanthellate equivalents control the colonial growth. These characteristics provide clues for understanding the mechanisms that regulate the shapes of modular marine organisms.
authors.affiliation: Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, JSPS, 459 Shirahama, Nishimuro, Wakayama, 649-2211, Japan.
authors.forename: Asuka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sentoku
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka-shi, 558-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka-shi, 558-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka-shi, 558-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.affiliation: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Kochi Core Center, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-city, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomiyama
authors.affiliation: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Kochi Core Center, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-city, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Machiyama
authors.affiliation: Marin Works Japan Ltd, 3-54-1 Oppamahigashi, Yokosuka, 237-0063, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tadai
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka-shi, 558-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ezaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: colony; growth structure; plasticity; regularity; reproduction