Coral ID: The Rest

CORAL ID: THE REST

Coral ID: The Rest

Coral Identification for Curacaoan coral species (under construction)

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.

The Restidae

Porites astreoides (left) and Porites porites (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Porites porites (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Porites branneri (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Porites branneri (right)

Two colourmorphs of Porites astreoides

Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (left) and Porites astreoides (right)

Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (left) and Porites astreoides (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Siderastrea siderea (right)

Siderastrea radians (left) and Siderastrea siderea (right)

Siderastrea siderea (left) and Siderastrea radians (right)

Siderastrea radians (left) and Siderastrea siderea (right)

Siderastrea sidera (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Siderastrea sidera (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (left) and Siderastrea sidera (right)

Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (left) and Siderastrea sidera (right)

Siderastrea sidera (left) and Montastraea annularis (right)

Agaricia agaricites (left) and Siderastrea sidera (right)