Table 1 Summary of morphometric results of the A. grandis holotype, the 34 samples examined from Hawaii (Wagner et al. 2010, including analysis of raw data not previously published), and the samples examined from Madagascar in this study – with a focus on most informative features. The number of colonies examined or samples of individual colonies (N), and the number of measurements taken of each feature (n) is specified. Measurement protocols apply for the specimens from Madagascar (ʍ), since measurements of the Hawaiian samples were taken randomly

COLONIES

N = 1

N = 5

N = 25

N = 4

N = 1

N = 1

Colony height (m)

1.28

>  3

>  3

>  3

~  2

~  2

Bathymetric range (m)

88–127

27–127

88–127

40 -?

30 -?

BRANCHLETS

n =?

n = 24

n = 100

n = 20

n = 10

n = 10

Longest terminal branchlet length (mm)

100

100

100

85

98

Terminal branchlet diameter range (mm)

0.090–0.227

0.092–0.273

0.124–0.219

0.180–0.260

0.168–0.192

Taken at the middle point of the branchlets without spines (ʍ)

SPINES

n = 100

n = 120

n = 490

n = 100

n = 50

n = 50

Polypar spines height range (mm)

0.050–0.150

0.049–0.123

0.049–0.168

0.063–0.118

0.111–0.138

0.091–0.161

Distance between the apex and the centre of the base of the same spine - from terminal branchlets middle point (ʍ)

Abpolypar spines height range (mm)

0.045–0.125

0.031–0.90

0.033–0.110

0.039–0.083

0.068–0.097

0.069–0.100

POLYPS

n = 20

n = 26

n = 64

n = 20

n = 10

n = 10

Density of polyps per cm - range

7–10

6–11

7–11

7–13

9–13

9–13

Counted from the middle part of the terminal branchlets (ʍ)

Transverse diameter of polyps - range (mm)

0.69–0.87 dried state

0.35–1.23

0.45–1.18

0.37–1.23

0.71–1.00

0.82–1.03

Avoiding measuring from areas with juvenile polyps (ʍ)