Research Station Carmabi

Coral ID: The Rest

Coral Identification for Curacaoan coral species (permanently 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.

For Montastraea corals (“star corals”)
For Agaricid corals (“plating corals”)
For braincorals (well….)
For everything else, see below

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)

Two colormorphs of Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii

Madracis pharensis (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Madracis pharensis (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Madracis pharensis (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Madracis pharensis (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Madracis pharensis (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Madracis senaria (left) and Stephanocoenia intersepta/ michelinii (right)

Porites astreoides (left) and Madracis pharensis (right)

Porites porites (left) and Porites astreoides (right)

Madracis mirabilis (left) and Porites porites (right)

Madracis mirabilis (left) and Madracis decactis (right)

Madracis carmabi (left) and Madracis decactis (right)

Madracis decactis (left) and Madracis carmabi (right)

Madracis pharensis (left) and Madracis senaria (right)

Madracis senaria (left) and Madracis pharensis (right)

Two colormorphs of Madracis pharensis

Madracis senaria (left; characteristic 6 exert septs are not visible on picture), Madracis decactis (middle, bottom) and Madracis pharensis (right)

Madracis senaria (left; characteristic 6 exert septs are not visible on picture) and Madracis decactis (right)

Eusmilia fastigiata (left) and Meandrina meandrites (right)