Description: Porolithon pachydermum (Foslie, 1904) - "reef cement" (calcareous red algae) on patch reef. Porolithon is a pinkish to pale-pinkish, calcareous crust that occupies reef crest and near-reef crest facies, where high-energy waves, intense sunlight, and occasional desiccating conditions (from low tides) occur. It has been recognized as a very important reef-building organism. Porolithon crusts frequently have many subcircular openings, resulting in a “swiss cheese”-like appearance. These are borings produced by the chiton Choneplax lata (
malacos.chez.com/htm/C08G2.HTM) (Mollusca, Polyplacophora). Classification: Rhodophyta, Florideophyceae, Corallinales, Corallinaceae Locality: patch reef in western French Bay, southwestern San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas. Date: 23 March 2011, 15:51. Source:
Porolithon pachydermum (calcareous red algae) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 4. Author:
James St. John.
