Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Coral Identification Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering coral scientific names, common names, species codes, and distinguishing morphological traits from the Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) training aid.

AGRRA

Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment

Agaricia tenuifolia (ATEN)

Thin leaf lettuce coral

Agaricia agaricites (AAGA)

Lettuce coral

Millepora alcicornis MALC

Branching fire coral

Millepora complanata MCOM

Blade fire coral

Acropora palmata APAL

Elkhorn coral

Acropora cervicornis ACER

Staghorn coral

Acropora prolifera APRO

Fused staghorn coral

Porites porites forma porites (PPOR)

Club Finger coral (or Finger coral), featuring thick branches ($>2\,\text{cm}$) that may be stubby and little developed with enlarged, blunt tips; developed branches are upright or sprawling, often grey, and occasionally bright blue.

Porites porites forma furcata (PFUR)

Branched finger coral, forming extensive colonies with dead basal parts and branches of intermediate width ($1\text{--}2\,\text{cm}$) that are elongate, tightly compact, finger-like with rounded tips, and often grey.

Porites porites forma divaricata (PDIV)

Thin finger coral, featuring the most slender ($<1\,\text{cm}$) and widely spaced branches among the branching Porites species; often divided at their tips, likely to have live tissues at their bases, with colors varying from purple, yellow-brown, grey, to brown.

Porites astreoides PAST

Mustard hill coral

Siderastrea siderea SSID

Massive starlet coral

Siderastrea radians SRAD

Lesser starlet coral

Isophyllastrea rigida IRIG

Rough star coral

Isophyllia sinuosa ISIN

Sinuous cactus coral

Orbicella [Montastraea] faveolata OFAV

Mountainous star coral, distinguished by ridges and bumps on its surface.

Orbicella [Montastraea] franksi OFRA

Boulder star coral

Orbicella [Montastraea] annularis OANN

Lobed star coral

Diploria labrynthiformis DLAB

Grooved brain coral, characterized by a groove at the top of the ridge.

Pseudodiploria clivosa DCLI

Knobby brain coral

Pseudodiploria strigosa DSTR

Symmetrical brain coral

Colpophyllia natans CNAT

Boulder brain coral

Madracis mirabilis MMIR

Yellow pencil coral

Madracis decactis MDEC

Ten-ray star coral

Eusmilia fastigiata EFAS

Flower coral

Favia fragum FFRA

Golf ball coral

Dichocoenia stokesi DSTO

Elliptical star coral

Leptoseris cucullata LCUC

Sunray lettuce coral

Agaricia lamarcki ALAM

White star sheet coral

Montastraea cavernosa MCAV

Great star coral

Mycetophyllia sp. (aliciae) MALI

Knobby cactus coral

Mycetophyllia sp. (ferox) MFER

Rough cactus coral

Mycetophyllia sp. (lamarckiana) MLAM

Ridged cactus coral

Mussa angulosa MANG

Spiny flower coral

Scolymia sp. (cubensis) SCUB

Artichoke coral (a non-reef building coral)

Stephanocoenia intersepta SINT

Blushing star coral

Solenastrea hyades SHYA

Knobby star coral

Solenastrea bournoni SBOU

Smooth star coral

Meandrina meandrites MMEA

Maze coral

Dendrogyra cylindrus DCYL

Pillar coral

Manicina aerolata MARE

Rose coral

Gorgonia ventalina GVEN

Common sea fan

Pseudopterogorgia spp. PSPP

Caribbean Sea Plume

Palythoa caribaeorum

White Encrusting Zoanthid (Caribbean Mat)