CORAL ID CURACAO: AGARICIDAE

This set of pictures aims to show the differences between coral species that are often "mistaken" for one another. Because terminology to describe each species is often subjective (i.e. has larger polyps or smaller ridges) having both species in one picture might help to get a better idea of how such closely related/ similar looking "species" can be distinguished from one another. Be aware that for the purpose of this page, we use the "conversational species concept", which is simply intended to describe the variation that exists in morphological features of Caribbean corals around Curacao.

Color variations of Agaricia agaricites: with orange mouths (left), with green tentacle tips (right)

Color variations of Agaricia agaricites: without orange mouths (left), with orange mouths (right)

Agaricia agaricites (left) and Agaricia grahamae (right)

Helioseris cucculata (left) and Agaricia agaricites (right)


Agaricia grahamae (left) and Agaricia lamarcki (right)


Agaricia grahamae (left) and Agaricia lamarcki (right)


Agaricia lamarcki (left) and Helioseris cucculata (right)


Helioseris cucculata (left) and Agaricia lamarcki (right)


Agaricia agaricites (left) and Agaricia humilis (right)


Sometimes Agaricia agaricites (right) is mistaken for light colored colonies of Palythoa caribaeorum (left)


Agaricia agaricites (left) and Agaricia lamarcki (right)


Agaricia agaricites (left) and Agaricia lamarcki (right)


  Agaricia lamarcki (left) and Agaricia agaricites (right)


Agaricia lamarcki (left) and Agaricia agaricites (right)


Agaricia agaricites (left) and Agaricia grahamae (right)


Agaricia grahamae(left) and Agaricia lamarcki (right)


Two "colormorphs" of Agaricia lamarcki


Two morphs of Agaricia lamarcki


Agaricia lamarcki (bottom) and Helioseris cucculata (top)