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38 Cards in this Set
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Grows in irregular mounds and encrustations with scattered lumps. Surfaces are rough with unevenly distributed and extended corallites. Often small clusters of polyps are without zooxanthellae. Tips of bumps have white spots on top. |
Orbicella franksi ORBFRA OFRA Boulder star coral Faviidae |
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Grows in clusters of long, thick columns with enlarged, dome-like tops. Living polyps restricted to upper portions of column, while lower parts are often bioeroded and fouled with algae. Surfaces are usually smooth with close, uniformly distributed and evenly extended corallites. |
Orbicella annularis ORBANN OA Lobed star coral Faviidae |
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Grows in large, massive mounds and sheets with skirt-like edges. Often cone-like bumps form on the surface that are usually arranged in vertical rows. Surfaces are usually smooth with uniformly distributed and evenly extended corallites. |
Orbicella faveolata ORBFAV OFAV Mountainous star coral Faviidae |
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Colonies usually form massive boulders and domes, but occassionally develop into plates or sheets, especially in deep water. Surface is covered with distinctive, blister-like corallites. Shades of green, brown, yellow-brown, and gray. Occasionally fluoresce red or orange. |
Montastraea cavernosa MONCAV MC Great star coral Faviidae |
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Smooth domes or boulders; occasionally encrusting; circular, upper rims of calices darker than surrounding area; when approached or touched appear to blush a lighter shade |
Stephanocoenia intercepts STEINT SI Blushing star coral Astrocoeniidae |
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Thinly encrusting, small colonies, often with raised, tightly bunched lobes or knobs. Surface densely covered with separated, small, protruding corallites with ten septa (rays ) |
Madracis decactis MADDEC MD Ten ray star coral Pocilloporidae |
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Colonies form densely packed clumps of small pencil-sized branches with blunt tips. Colonies appear fuzzy when polyps extended. Creamy to bright yellow. Fragile |
Madracis auretenra MADAUR Yellow pencil coral Pollicoporidae |
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Colonies fork densely packed clumps of thick, relatively short branches with blunt and occasionally expanded and double-lobed tips. Corallites have 8 septa. Appear fuzzy when polyps extended. |
Madracis formosa MADFOR MAFO Eight ray finger coral Pocilloporidae |
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Colonies usually form flat, encrusting plates, but occasionally grow in small, irregular and rounded domes. Surface is covered with small, deep-pitted corallites that often appeared "pinched in". Usually whitish to light gray, sometimes light tan. Center of corallite appears dark. Usually in seagrass areas. |
Siderastrea radians SIDRAD SR Lesser starlet coral Siderastreidae |
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Form rounded heads, boulders, or domes. Surface covered with small, generally symmetrically round, pitted corallites. Light gray to golden-brown and brown; color uniform, corallites not dark at center. Much bigger than SIDRAD. |
Siderastrea siderea SIDSID SS Massive starlet coral Siderastreidae |
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Colonies form relatively smooth domes, occasionally with a few slight, irregular bulges on their surfaces. Corallite rims protrude noticeably, giving a blistered appearance. Cream to light tan; extended polyps light tan to brown. |
Solenastrea bournoni SOLBOU SB Smooth star coral Faviidae |
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Colonies encrust in shallow, surging water, but form rounded heads and domes in deeper water. Surface lumpy and covered with small, closely set corallites that give the colonies a porous appearance. Most commonly yellow to yellow-green or yellow-brown, occasionally beige to gray. Extended polyps give colonies a soft, fuzzy appearance. |
Porites astreoides PORAST PA Mustard hill coral Poritidae |
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Colonies form smooth branches with embedded corallites. Colonies grow in several morphotypes. P. porites has stout, irregular, stubby branches with blunt and often enlarged tips. Color ranges from beige to yellow-brown, brown, gray, and gray with purple overtones. |
Porites porites PORPOR PP Clubtip finger coral Poritidae |
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Has finger-like, widely spaced branches that often divide near the tip. |
Porites divaricata PORDIV PD Thin finger coral Poritidae |
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Has finger-like tightly compacted branches. |
Porites furcata PORFUR PF Branched finger coral Poritidae |
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Colonies form rounded, thin blades that curve upward on flat or sloping substrate, growing in the shape of fans or bowls. On vertical walls, large, spiral curving, overlapping plates may contour to the substrate. Occasionally grow in a shingle fashion. Running around the upper surface are more-or-less continuous, wide, wavy valleys and ridges that parallel the outer edges. Corallite centers are distinctively nestled in rows against ridges' steep outer edges. Inner ridge faces slope more gently toward colonies' centers. The blades' undersides have no polyps and are quite smooth. Shades of brown to gray, often with yellowish, greenish or bluish tints; outer edge of blades often white. Fragile. |
Agaricia undata AGAUND AU Scroll coral Agariciidae |
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Colonies grown in massive, thin sheets or flattened plates that often form large whorls and occasionally spirals and bowls. Concentric rows of long rounded ridges and relatively wide valleys run parallel to the colonies' outer edges. Prominent, white star-like polyps in valleys' centers are distinctive of species. Ridge ends are often tapered, rather than abruptly intersecting other ridges. Pencil-line thin septa, running between polyp mouths, alternate in height and thickness. Colonies' undersides have no polyps and are quite smooth. Yellow-brown to golden-brown and brown, may have greenish, bluish, or grayish tints. Fragile. |
Agaricia lamarcki AGALAM AL Whitestar sheet coral Agariciidae |
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Several morphotypes. Form agaricites is thickly encrusting or hemispherical with ridges of different heights and discontinuous valleys in reticulated pattern. Form carinata grows in thick, flattened plates with prominent ridges and long valleys. Thick, bifacial, low, upright plates or ribbons extend from surface. Form purpurea grows in thick, flat plates and is distinguished by long continuous, parallel valleys with prominent ridges. Colonies may grow in shingle-like fashion. Form danai grows a series of overlapping large, thick, bifacial, upright lobes. Tan to yellow-brown, grayish brown, brown and chocolate, can have bluish or purplish tints. Not especially fragile. |
Agaricia agaricites AGAAGA AA Lettuce coral Agariciidae |
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Colonies form small, generally circular, lumpy encrustations of densely packed corallites in reticulated patterns. Corallites have deep, often narrow or pinched pits. Long valleys or two-faced lobes are never present. Yellow-brown to brown or chocolate; frequently with white areas and blotches where zooxanthellae are absent. |
Agaricia humilis AGALHUM AH Low relief lettuce coral Agariciidae |
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Colonies grow in rounded, thin blades that commonly curve upward in the shape of fans or bowls often in a spiral design. Concentric rows of long, steep sloped ridges and relatively narrow, V-shaped valleys run parallel to the colonies' pale outer edges. Pale, dimple-like polyps are centered in the valleys. Pencil-line thin septa running between polyp mouths are of equal size. Colonies' undersides have no polyps and are quite smooth. Yellow-brown to golden-brown to brown, may have bluish, greenish, or grayish tints. |
Agaricia grahame AGAGRA AG Dimpled sheet coral Agariciidae |
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Form small, thin saucer-like colonies. Ridges and long continous valleys form an uneven pattern of concentric circles radiating from center of colony. Ridges of deep water colonies are often low and inconspicuous. Polyps are only present in the valleys of upper surface; underside is smooth. Shades of purplish brown, chocolate, yellow-brown, tan, and greenish-tan. Fragile. Form contracta colonies have pinched corallites and often grow in irregular, occasionally gnarled patterns. |
Agaricia fragilis AGAFRA AF Fragile saucer coral Agariciidae |
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Colonies form low clumps that resemble patches of leaf lettuce. The thin, upright blades have polyps on both sides. Wavy, parallel ridges run horizontally across blade faces. Shades of brown to gray, often with yellowish, greenish, or bluish tints. Blades fairly fragile. |
Agaricia tenuifolia AGATEN AT Thin leaf lettuce coral Agariciidae |
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Colonies form smoothly contoured plates to hemispherical domes. Long valleys are often connected and usually convoluted, except near colony's edge. Ridges evenly rounded, usually without a top groove, although occasionally with an extremely fine groove, especially near colony edge. |
Pseudodiploria strigosa PSESTRI PS Symmetrical brain coral Faviidae |
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Colonies generally form large rounded domes, but also encrust, constructing large rounded plates. Surface covered with a convoluted system of ridges and valleys. A thin, but distinct groove runs along ridge tops. There is also a thin, but noticeable line approx. halfway down the ridge where the slope decreases in angle and slants to form the valley. Typically the ridges are brown and valleys green, tan, or whitish. Valleys are usually long and meandering, containing several polyps, but are occasionally closed, holding only one or two polyps. |
Colpophyllia natans COLNAT CN Boulder brain coral Faviidae |
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Colonies form both hemispherical heads and flattened plates. Ridges are created by smooth, widely separated, vertical plates (septa). There is a thin line along ridge tops where plates come together. Tan to yellow-brown and brown. |
Meandrina meandrites MEAMEA MME Maze coral Meandrinidae |
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Colonies form hemispherical heads. Deep, often narrow, polyp bearing valleys are separated by broad ridges with wide, conspicuous trough-like grooves. Valleys highly convoluted and often interconnected. Tan to yellow-brown to brown to brownish gray. |
Diploria labyrinthiformis DIPLAB DL Grooved brain coral Faviidae |
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Colonies form rounded heads, domes, or flattened plates. Corallites protrude perceptibly (up to 1/4 inch) and are usually elliptical or circular and occasionally Y-shaped. Cream to yellow and brown. |
Dichocoenia stokesi DICSTO DSO Elliptical star coral Meandrinidae |
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Colonies form hemispherical domes or encrust rocky substrates. Surfaces of colonies usually have numerous, irregular knobs, but occasionally form smooth low, flattened domes. Ridges rise sharply and do not have a groove on top. Green to brown, yellow-brown and bluish gray; valleys often lighter or of contrasting color. |
Pseudodiploria clivosa PSECLI PCL Knobby brain coral Faviidae |
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Colonies thickly encrust bottom and have overhanging edges when the substrate falls away. A ridge bordering the colony frequently grows inward crisscrossing the surface often forming closed valleys and giving the colony a lattice-like appearance. In the valleys are small, knob-like polyp mouths. Ridges and polyp mouths are often of light color contrasting with darker valleys in shades of brown, pink, green, gray, and bluish gray. Tentacles extend only from ridges. |
Mycetophyllia ferox MYCFER MF Rough cactus coral Mussidae |
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Colonies form numerous, heavy, cylindrical spires that grow upward from an encrusting base mass. Light tan to golden brown and chocolate brown. |
Dendrogyra cylindrus DENCYL DCY Pillar coral Meandrinidae |
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Colonies form antler-like racks of cylindrical branches that often grow in great tangles. Surface covered with small, protruding, tubular corallites. Brown to yellow-brown with a single, white terminal corallite. Fragile. |
Acropora cervicornis ACRCER AC Staghorn coral Acroporidae |
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Colonies form multiple branched structures. Branches generally cylindrical. Most commonly branch in a single plane, but occasionally in all directions. Often encrust and overgrow gorgonian colonies, taking on their shape. Surface texture smooth with numerous pin-hole size pores. When the tiny polyps protrude, they appear as short, fine hair. Tan to mustard and brown; branch tips white. |
Millepora alcicornis MILALC MILA Branching fire coral Milleporidae |
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Colonies form thin, upright blades or plates that extend from an encrusting base. Outer edge of blades uneven with multiple extensions or short branches. Surface texture smooth with numerous pin-hole size pores. When tiny polyps protrude, they appear as short, fine hair. Tan to mustard and brown; blade edges white. |
Millepora complanata MILCOM MILC Blade fire coral Milleporidae |
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Clumps of widely spaced polyps on long stalks, that appear to originate from a central core, form hemispherical mounds. Corallites round to oval. Shades of yellow-brown to brown and gray, often with blue to blue-green to green tinting that may be somewhat iridescent. |
Eusmilia fastigiata EUSFAS EF Smooth flower coral Caryophylliidae |
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Colonies form saucers or plates with distinctive lines (septa) running toward edges. Occasionally grow in overlapping shingle-like style. Ridges and valleys not continuous. Corallite centers are distinctively nestled in rows against ridges' steep outer edges. Inner ridge faces slope more gently toward colonies' centers. Tan to yellow-brown, brown and gray; may fluoresce green, blue, or purple tints. Fragile. |
Helioceris cucullata (formerly Leptoseris) HELCUC HC Sunray lettuce coral Agariciidae |
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Single, large, fleshy, circular to oval polyp with rough, warty texture. Central area of corallite usually concave to flat, rarely convex. Lighter shades of gray to green, blue-green and brown. Caribbean's largest solitary polyp coral. Size alone can confirm ID if over 4 inches. |
Scolymia lacera SCOLAC SL Atlantic mushroom coral Mussidae |
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Colonies form small, oval to hemispherical domes. Highly convoluted with fleshy ridges and deep, narrow valleys. Colors quite variable, including shades of yellow, green, brown, and gray. Occasionally iridescent tints or orange or blue. Ridges and valleys usually of contrasting shades or colors. Light colored, thin line along ridge tops. |
Isophyllia sinuosa ISOSIN IS Sinuous cactus coral Mussidae |
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Single, large, fleshy, circular to oval polyp. Underlying skeleton often evident in form of raised radiating lines. Central area of corallite usually flat to somewhat convex, rarely concave. Darker shades of gray to brown, green, and blue-green; base color often radially streaked with lighter shade. May fluoresce. |
Scolymia cubensis SCOCUB SC Artichoke coral Mussidae |
