PICTURE GUIDE TO STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL, BELIZE

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PICTURE GUIDE TO STONY CORALS OF
GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
FIRE CORALS
BRANCHING FIRE CORAL Millepora alcicornis Crusts, growing out into small round branches. Slender polyps
projecting from small pores in smooth skeleton. Color yellow, cream, tan. Stings painfully if touched.
BLADED FIRE CORAL Millepora complanata Blade-like branches arising from crusts. Stings painfully if touched.
BRANCHING CORALS
ELKHORN CORAL Acropora palmata Large, broad, palm-shaped branches in calm waters. More rounded in rough water.
Brown to yellowish-brown. Side (radial) polyps small (0.5-0.8 mm). Terminal (axial) polyps larger, white.
STAGHORN CORAL Acropora cervicornis Open, loosely packed thickets of thin, round, pointed, brown to
yellowish-brown branches tipped by one large, white axial polyp. Easily broken, remains often forming rubble beds.
FUSED STAGHORN CORAL Acropora prolifera Hybrid of A. palmata & A. cervicornis. Branches densely packed.
Brown to golden color. Branching tends toward horizontal and fan-shaped. Branchlets toward branch ends.
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cervicornis rubble

STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
CLUB TIP FINGER CORAL Porites porites Branches thick (2 cm or more), curved, hooked or other irregular shapes.
Tips blunt, often swollen. Polyps expanded in day, appearing “fuzzy”. Gray, blue, yellowish, or purple. Polyps small.
BRANCHED FINGER CORAL Porites furcata Branches compact, thin (1-2 cm), finger-like, usually elongate,
rounded tips, bases usually dead. Gray or tan. Polyps small (1.6-1.8 mm).
THIN FINGER CORAL Porites divaricata Branches thinnest (less than 1 cm), widely spaced, and often at right
angles to main stem. Tips often forked. Purple, brown, yellow-brown, gray. Polyps small.
YELLOW PENCIL CORAL Madracis auretenra (formerly Madracis mirabilis) Thin, densely packed, finger-like branches.
Pale yellow to light tan. Polyps expanded day & night. Polyps widely separated, with 10 septa.
TEN-RAY STAR CORAL Madracis decactis Colonies are densely packed nodular lobes. Gray, brown, yellow-brown
or greenish. Polyps small (less than 2 mm), with 10 distinct septa.
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
MEANDROID CORALS
PILLAR CORAL Dendrogyra cylindrus Upright columns to 2 m high. Contorted ridges. Polyps usually expanded by day,
appearing very fuzzy. Polyps in meandroid series but smaller than in M. meandrites.
MAZE CORAL Meandrina meandrites Massive heads to 1 m, or can be small and columnar. Groove atop ridges.
Large, thick septal plates. Ribbon-like columella. Valleys narrow. Cream, greenish & brown tints.
BOULDER BRAIN CORAL Colpophyllia natans Large, domed heads up to 3 m, or flatish discs. Ridges grooved
on top and mid-way down sides. Valleys wide (15- 20 mm across). Valley color green, tan, white. Ridges brown.
SYMMETRICAL BRAIN CORAL Pseudodiploria strigosa (formerly Diploria strigosa) Ridges smaller and valley
width narrower (5-10 mm) than in Colpophyllia. Sometimes grooves on ridges. Ridge and valley color may differ.
KNOBBY BRAIN CORAL Pseudodiploria clivosa (formerly Diploria clivosa) Surface convoluted, knobby. Narrow,
steep-sided ridges, with no grooves. Ridges and valleys are rarely straight, and are smaller than in P. strigosa
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
GROOVED BRAIN CORAL Diploria labyrinthiformis Large groove on wide, convoluted ridge giving “double valley”
look. Ridge with groove often wider than the valley containing polyps. Groove and valley colors may differ.
SINUOUS CACTUS CORAL Isophyllia sinuosa Small massive colonies. Fleshy polyps and ridges in meandroid series.
Deep valleys. Septa with large, spiny teeth. Dull grayish, sometimes greenish or reddish.
RIDGED CACTUS CORAL Mycetophyllia lamarckiana Small mounds or inverted plates. Ridges and shallow
valleys variable over entire surface. May appear fleshy. Brown, gray, sometimes green.
KNOBBY CACTUS CORAL Mycetophyllia aliciae Thin plates to domes. Large polyps. Often no clear valleys or ridges
in central area. Raised areas usually lighter color. Brown or green, often light green or white spots around mouths or on ridges.
ROUGH CACTUS CORAL Mycetophyllia ferox Thin plates or crusts. Valleys narrow, often closed. Thin, grooved
ridges on entire surface. Gray, reddish, brown, green. Polyps small, often pink.
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
PLATY & KEELED CORALS
RIDGELESS CACTUS CORAL Mycetophyllia reesi Thin plates (thinner than other Mycetophyllia),
hugging substratum. Smooth surface. No ridges. Bumpy rows of large polyps. Dark color.
SUNRAY LETTUCE CORAL Helioseris cucullata (formerly Leptoseris cuculatta) Thin plates. Polyps in cup-like ridges
of varying lengths facing edge of colony. Prominent septa, radiating. Brown or fluorescent tissues with yellow polyp mouths.
FRAGILE SAUCER CORAL Agaricia fragilis Colonies small (< 15 cm), contour-hugging with thin edges.
Small polyps (~2 mm), in irregularly concentric rows. Ridges low with round tops.
DIMPLED SHEET CORAL Agaricia grahamae Larger colonies form distinctive fans, bowls, and spirals.
Polyps in concentric rows, on upper surface only. Ridges steep with pointed tops.
WHITESTAR SHEET CORAL Agaricia lamarcki Flat plates, to flattened whorls when large. Thick, dense skeleton.
Ridges rounded. Yellow to dark-brown, with contrasting, large, pale to white, star-like polyp mouths.
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
LETTUCE CORAL Agaricia agaricites (alternatively Undaria agaricites) Colonies of many diverse shapes: crusts, plates
mounds, keels and thick lobes. Reticulated ridges of varying lengths with pointed tops. Tan to brown tissues, sometimes fluorescent.
THIN LEAF LETTUCE CORAL Agaricia tenuifolia (alternatively Undaria tenuifolia) Growing from crusts upward into
large distinctive clusters of thin, vertical keels. Polyps in meandroid rows separated by irregular ridges.
MOUND & BOULDER CORALS
GREAT STAR CORAL Montastraea cavernosa Mounds or short columns (shallow) and crusts (deep) to ~ 3 m diam.
Polyps large (to ~ 1 cm), round, protruding. Light to dark brown, sometimes pigmented white or fluorescent.
LOBED STAR CORAL Orbicella annularis (formerly Montastraea annularis) Large (> 3 m) mounds with small
live polyps on the tops of closely packed lobes or columns. Platy basal "skirts" under low light conditions. Light tan to yellow-brown.
MOUNTAINOUS STAR CORAL Orbicella faveolata (formerly Montastraea faveolata) Very large (to 5 m), smooth,
skirted heads, with ridged or bumpy vertical rows running down their sides. Small, pale to dark brown or fluorescent green polyps.
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sperm
lobe
Vertical
rows
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skirt
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-eggs

STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
BOULDER STAR CORAL Orbicella franksi (formerly Montastraea franksi) Large (> 3 m), irregular mounds and plates
with enlarged, protruding polyps on scattered lumps. Color orange-brown, gray or greenish-brown with pale polyps on the lumps.
SMOOTH STAR CORAL Solenastrea bournoni Domes up to 1 m diam. Smooth, sometimes lumpy surface. Polyps
small, uniform, with darkened centers, well separated, with raised walls that produce a “blistered” look. Cream, yellow, pale brown.
BLUSHING STAR CORAL Stephanocoenia intersepta Colonies are thick crusts and mounds up to ~1m diameter.
Small cream, tan, gray or brown polyps with dark centers that are commonly expanded by day and appear to "blush" when retracted.
LESSER STARLET CORAL Siderastrea radians Small crusts, flat mounds or "loose balls" with "dimpled" surface.
Usually < 30 cm. Tiny, sunken, pale brownish polyps, some "pinched," with darker centers and thick septa that are easily seen in-situ.
MASSIVE STARLET CORAL Siderastrea siderea Rounded masses, with smoothish "dimpled" surface. Polyps small,
sunken, with many thin, "hard-to-see" septa. Brownish, reddish or grey.
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lumps
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
MUSTARD HILL CORAL Porites astreoides Small lumpy mounds, or crusts and plates up to 1 m diam. Color mustard
yellow, green, gray, light to chocolate brown. Fuzzy appearing due to expanded polyps. Polyps small (1.2-1.4 mm).
FLOWER & SMALL CORALS
ELLIPTICAL STAR CORAL Dichocoenia stokesi Small mounds or thick oval plates, sometimes columnar. Polyps large,
protruding, well separated, oval, or elongated to meandroid before dividing. Surface granular between polyps. Cream, green-brown.
GOLFBALL CORAL Favia fragum Small rounded knobs “golfballs”, or crusts. Polyps, round, or oval to elongate before
dividing (never meandroid), granular septa. Polyps closer set and not as protruding as in Dichocoenia. Pale brown to yellow.
SMOOTH FLOWER CORAL Eusmilia fastigiata Clumps of tubular stalks, each with 1-3, round to oval polyps.
Stalk bases without live coral tissue. Septa large, smooth and widely spaced. Cream, with pink or green tints.
ROUGH STAR CORAL Isophyllia rigida (formerly Isophyllastrea rigida) Small domes with large fleshy polyps & ridges.
1- 3 polyps per valley, never meandroid. Gray or greenish. Centers & walls may differ in color.
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
SPINY FLOWER CORAL Mussa angulosa Clumps (up to 1 m wide) of stalks, each topped with
usually 1 (sometimes 2 or 3) large, fleshy polyps. Gray, may be tinted green, blue, reddish.
ROSE CORAL Manicina areolata Small colonies that may be unattached from substratum on rubble and sand bottoms
and in seagrass beds. Meandroid, with broad, deep valleys. The large ridges grooved on top.
BUTTERPRINT ROSE CORAL Meandrina danae Corallum small, oval, elongated. Wide valleys. Typically
unattached from substratum on rubble and sand bottoms and in seagrass beds.
SOLITARY CORALS
ARTICHOKE CORAL Scolymia cubensis Large (to ~10 cm), fleshy, smoothish-surfaced polyp that occasionally
divides to form several connected mouths. Septal teeth often visible below gray, brown or greenish tissues.
ATLANTIC MUSHROOM CORAL Scolymia lacera Very large ( to ~15 cm), very fleshy polyp looks "warty" over large
septal teeth. Occasionally divides to form several connected mouths.Can be difficult to distinguish from S. cubensis when small.
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STONY CORALS OF GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
TUBE CORAL
TUBE CORAL Cladocora arbuscula Small clumps of tiny, elongate, finely-ridged and stalked branches. Basal parts dead.
Polyps ~4 mm diameter. May be attached to reef or unattached on rubble and sand bottoms and in seagrass beds.
This guide will help you recognize corals known from Glover’s Reef. However, it is often difficult to distinguish between
similar species in-situ or strictly from photographs. For coral basics and more detailed species descriptions go to:
NOAA coral tutorials http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/coral101/.
AGRRA “Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment” tutorials http://www.agrra.org/method/trainingid.html.
“REEF CORAL IDENTIFICATION: FLORIDA, CARIBBEAN, BAHAMAS, 3rd Edition” (2013)
by Paul Humann & Ned DeLoach, New World Publications, Inc.
“MARINE LIFE OF THE BAY ISLANDS OF HONDURAS”, a Compact Disk by Frank & Joyce Burek,
Azure Computer and Photographic Services, Inc., Montgomery, Texas, jfburek@consolidated.net.
“CORALPEDIA” http://coralpedia.bio.warwick.ac.uk/.
“NMiTA”, University of Iowa http://nmita.iowa.uiowa.edu/database/corals/coralmnu.htm.
“CORALS OF THE WORLD ONLINE” http://coral.aims.gov.au/.
“HEXACORALLIANS OF THE WORLD http://hercules.kgs.ku.edu/hexacoral/dev/index.cfm.
“Stony Corals (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa, Scleractinia) of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize” by Stephen D. Cairns,
pp. 271-302, Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences # 12 (1982).
IMAGE CREDITS
Glover’s Reef images by Tom Bright (TB), Alex Tilley (AT), Steve Gittings (SG) and Marie Smedley (MS)
Certain images are not from Glover’s Reef Atoll but represent species known to occur there. They are used with the permission of:
Western Caribbean: Ken Marks (KM), Judy Lang (JL); Lisa Carne (LC); Frank & Joyce Burek (FJB)
Gulf of Mexico: George P. Schmall (GPS), Emma Hickerson (EH), Frank & Joyce Burek (FJB), Tom Bright (TB), Chris Tresslar (CT)
AGRRA images by Paul Humann (PH), Ken Marks (KM), Charles Sheppard (CS), Bob Steneck (RS), and R. McCall (RM)
CORALPEDIA images by Charles & Anne Sheppard (CP), Ernesto Weil (EW), Doug Fenner (DF)
Scanning Electron Microscope images by Zac Forsman (ZF), Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
Dried museum specimen images from Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America “NMiTA” web site (NM) and
Ann Budd et al. 2012, Taxonomic classification of the reef coral family Mussidae. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 166 (NB)
Jake Adams (JA) from his articles “West Atlantic Corals, Parts 1, 2 and 3” in the
Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine http://www.advancedaquarist.com/
Iliana Baums (IB) http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2008-news/Baums8-2008.htm
La Blanquilla Reef, Mexico (LB) http://www.ecosur.mx/CORALES
Wikimedia Commons images by Mark Eakin (ME), Laszlo Ilyes (LI), Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (KS) and Line’ 1 (L1) are
used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic licenses
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/COM:CC-BY-SA
and the GNU Free Documentation License Version 1.2 http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html.
Corals of the World images by Corals of the World Online (CW), Charlie Vernon (CV) & Goeff Kelley (GK) http://coral.aims.gov.au/
Eric Burgers (EB) image used under Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
Meandrina images by Jorge H Pinzón C and Ernesto Weil (JP) from Bulletin of Marine Science. 87(4):823–853. 2011
Porites furcata illustration by Louis Agassiz (LA), Mem. of Museum of Comp. Zoo., Harvard, 7(1). 1880
This guide may be copied intact for educational purposes in compliance with the above licenses.
Use of individual images is subject to the usage requirements and © Copyright privileges of the above individual image
owners and cannot be done without their written permission.
WCS thanks Ken Marks and Joyce & Frank Burek for their valuable assistance compiling the images
Created for WCS by Dr. Tom Bright and Dr. Judy Lang
March 2013
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY
Glover’s Reef Research Station, Belize
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