√ coral species id □ colony shape (branching, mound, plates, column, crust, etc) □ colony...

√ Coral Species ID

□ Colony shape (branching, mound, plates, column, crust, etc)

□ Colony surface (bumpy, smooth, ridges)

□ Polyp/Corallite Size (small, big)

□ Polyp/Corallite shape (round/elliptical, irregular, y-shaped, ‘ innies vs outies’ ridge/valley)

□ Polyp color (green, brown, tan, yellow, olive, red)

Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessmentwww.agrra.org

University of Miami, RSMASDr. Robert Ginsburg

Different corallite shapes & sizes

Diploriastrigosa

© W

. Har

rigan

© M

. Whi

te

© S

. Sul

eim

án©

R. S

tene

ck

Examples of massive stony corals

Montastraea faveolata

Montastraea cavernosa

Poritesastreoides

Montastraea faveolata MFAV

© S

. Tho

rnto

n

© S

. Tho

rnto

n

Form very large mounds, platesor crusts (to 4-5 m /12-15 ft)

Small, round polyps

Montastraea faveolata MFAVSurfaces smooth, ridged, or with bumps aligned in vertical rows

© W. Harrigan © M. Weber © R. Steneck

M. faveolata MFAV

Colonies are flattened, massive-plates with smooth surfaces under conditions of low light.

© T

. Tur

ner

© A. Bruckner

How similar to M. faveolataSmall polyps

Smooth surface

How differentColonies are subdivided into numerous mounds or

columns with live polyps at

their summits.

Plates at colony bases under low light conditions.(to 3-4 m/9-12 ft)

Montastraea annularis MANN

© B

. Kak

uk

M. faveolata MFAV

Which is which?

M. annularis MANN

© L

. Ben

venu

ti

Montastraea franksi MFRA

© P. Humann

Close-up

How similar to M. faveolataSmall polyps and bumps

How differentSome polyps in bumps are larger, irregularly shaped, and may lack zooxanthellae.

More aggressive spatial competitor.

© R. Steneck

Montastraea franksi MFRA

How similar to M. faveolataForm mounds, short columns, crusts, and/or plates.

How differentBumps are scatteredover colony surface.(to 3-4 m/9-12 ft)

Montastraea franksi MFRAFlattened, massive plate morphology in low light conditions.

How similar to M. annularisSmall round polyps

Mounds

How differentLighter colors in life,

Walls of some polyps are

more distinct (“outies”)

Bumpy colony surface

(to ~1/2 m/<20 in)

Solenastrea bournoni SBOU

How similar to S. bournoniLight colours

Polyps with distinct walls

How differentIrregular, lobes above

an encrusting base(to ~2/3 m/2 ft)

Solenastrea hyades SHYA

Humann (1993).

Montastraea cavernosa MCAV

© J

. Lan

g

Close-up

large, round polyps

M.cavernosa MCAV

Mounds, single columns,

thick crusts or thick plates.(< 3 m/9 ft)

Pink fluoresencesometimes seen underwater is due to a symbiotic cyanobacterium in the polyps.

© E. Weil

M. Cavernosa MCAV

© T

. Tur

ner

Colonies can form flattened, massive-plates in low light conditions.

© P

. Hum

ann

How similar to M. cavernosaDistinct polyps

Mounds, crusts or plates

© R

. Ste

neck

Dichocoenia stokesi DSTO

How differentAt least some elliptical

and Y-shaped polyps(usually <.5 m/18 in)

How similar to D. stokesiDistinct, round-elongated polyps, some are Y-shaped.

How differentPolyps look more “spread out.”

Smaller colonies(usually <10cm/4 in)

Favia fragum FFRA

© P. Humann

Palythoa caribaeorum

M. cavernosa

Palythoa

Close-up

How similar toM. cavernosa and D. stokesiDistinct polyps, some round

and others elliptical

Cream or light tan colour

How differentSoft-bodied crusts

Very aggressive spatial

competitor

© P. Humann © R. McCall

© L

. Ben

venu

ti

Palythoa caribaeorum

Can be an excellent, early bleaching indicator

partially bleached colonies

Siderastrea siderea SSIDSunken polyps (“innies”) with thin septa

© R

. Ste

neck

Mounds

(to ~ 2 m/6 ft)

bleached

Siderastrea siderea SSID

© R

. St e

neck

Siderastrea siderea SSID

Fluorescent colours in some bleached colonies.

bleached

© R

. Gin

sbur

g

dead

Siderastrea radians SRADIrregular, sunken “pinched” polyps with fatter septa Small (to ~1/3 m/12 in)

Which is which?

S. siderea S. radians

Stephanocoenia intersepta SINT

Flat polyps which are darker (have more zoox. pigments) than intervening tissues

“Blush” when contracting

Mounds or crusts(to <1 m/<3 ft)

© E

. Wei

l

Yellow, yellow-green or olive (shallow), gray or brown (deep or shade)

Small mounds, thick crusts or plates

(usually < 1 m/3 ft)

© E

. Wei

l

Porites astreoides PAST

Polyps are narrow–but tall and look “fuzzy” when expanded.

Colony surfaces are usually bumpy.

Close-up

Porites astreoides PAST

© P. Humann

Colpophyllia natans CNAT

© A

. Bru

ckne

r

Close-up

How different from other

brain coralsHas narrow “lines” along the

top, and midway down the

sides, of the ridges.

Often bicoloured

Forms largest of brain coral mounds in shallow water.(to ~3 m/10 ft)


© R

. Ste

neck


© T. Turner

Forms massive-plates in low light conditions

How different from other brain coralsDistinct groove along middle of ridge–can be deeper and wider than the valleys.

© R

. McC

all

Diploria labyrinthiformis DLAB

Close-up

Diploria labyrinthiformis DLAB

© R

. McC

all

Mounds in shallowwater(to >1 m/4 ft)

Diploria strigosa DSTR

© L

. Ben

v enu

ti

How different from other brain corals

No distinct groove along middle ofridge.

Mounds or crustsin shallow water.(to ~ 2 m/6 ft)

Diploria strigosa

DSTR

Massive-plates in low light conditions

© Q. Dokken

How different from other brain corals

Narrow ridgesIrregular, lumpy crusts in shallow water

(to >1 m/4 ft)

Diploria clivosa DCLI

© R. Steneck

Meandrina meandrites MMEA

killing P. astreoides

killing P. astreoides

Mounds and massive-plates

Very aggressive for a stony coral

(to ~1 m/3 ft)

How similar to brainsPolyps in meanderingridges and valleys

How differentThick septa

Heavier skeletons

Polyps look bloatedwhen expanded

Some colonies form columns or small conical shapes

Close-up

Meandrina meandrites MMEA

© R. McCall

All species Meandroid

Raised polyp centers look like stars

Small mounds, plates or crusts

Mycetophyllia aliciae

© P

. Dus

tan

Mycetophyllia spp.

Mycetophyllia lamarckiana MLAM + M. danaana MDAM

Fleshy polypsMounds, cones, thickplates(to ~ 1/3 m/12 in)

Mycetophyllia aliciae MALI

Thick crusts or plates

Ridges much reduced in lowlight conditions

(to ~ 1/2 m/20 in.)

© P. Dustan

Mycetophyllia ferox MFER

Narrow ridges and valleys

Thin crusts orplates

(to ~2/3 m/2 ft)

© A. Budd

Very fleshy, wide meandroid polyps

Narrow line alongtop of ridges

Small mounds

(to ~20 cm/8 in)

Isophyllia sinuosa ISIN

© R. Steneck

How different from Mycetophyllia danaana

Fleshier polyps

No “stars’ around mouths


© D

. Fen

ner

© D

. Fen

ner

Which is which?


M. lamarckiana MLAM

Very fleshy polyps

Thin line along ridgetops

Small mounds(to <20 cm/8 in)

How different

Very short, constricted valleys usually only have 1-2 polyps

Isophyllastrea rigida IRIG

© R

. Ste

neck

How similar to Isophyllia sinuosa

Larger, more fleshy polyps

Lighter polyp colours

More aggressive toother stony corals(to ~15 cm/6 in)

Scolymia lacera SLAC

© R

. Ste

neck

How different from Scolymia cubensis

Tiny, reticulate polyps

Form plates, crusts, lumps, and keeled colonies

Smallest of the agariciids (to ~ 1 m/3 ft)

Agaricia agaricites AAGA

plate

lump

keels

How different from A. agaricites Tiny, reticulate polyps on both sides of thin keels.

Agaricia tenuifolia ATEN

© R

. Ste

neck

How different from A. agaricitesThick, dense platesDistinct polyp mouths

(to ~ 2 m/6 ft)

Agaricia lamarcki ALAM

How different from A. agaricitesThin plates, not reticulateDistinct septa; polyp mouths point towards colony margin

(to ~ 2 m/6 ft)

Leptoseris (Helioseris) cucullata LCUC

Can be confusedwith A. undata(has smaller, straighter ridges; Humann p. 142)

Examples of branching stony corals

Acroporacervicornis

Acroporapalmata

© R. McCall

Poritesporites

© K

. Des

ai

© R. McCall

Fragment easily; colony boundaries may be indistinct

Porites furcata PFUR

Thin, long brancheswith round tips

(Clumps to >1 m/3ft wide)

© R. Steneck

Porites divaricata PDIV

Thin, widely-spaced branches, many Y-shaped at tip

(Clumps to ~1/3 m/1ft wide)

Acropora prolifera APRO

Intermediate in appearance & is a hybrid between A. palmata and A. cervicornis

See Human p. 91

Madracis decactis MDEC

Short, stubby knobsor lumpy crusts

10 septa/polyp

(to ~15 cm/6 in)

Madracis formosa MFOR

How different from M. decactis

Upright branchesWith blunt tops

8-10 septa/polyp

(to < 2m/6 ft)

Mussa angulosa MANG

How similar to E. fastigiata Stalked polyps, only alive at tips

How differentPolyps are fleshy, larger, round, and opaque in colour

Septa have large teeth

(to <1 m/3 ft)

Millepora spp.

How different from scleractinian stony corals

Smooth colony surface has tiny pores with minute, translucent polyps.

© R

. Mc C

all

Millepora alcicornis

Millepora alcicornis MALC

How different from M. complanata

Encrusts substratum and other organismsSmall, rounded branches

© R. Steneck

(to ~1/2 m/<20 in)

© R. Steneck

√ coral species id □ colony shape (branching, mound, plates, column, crust, etc) □ colony...

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