AGRRA Coral Species Identification

Vocabulary flashcards for Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) coral identification training.

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 (PPOR)

Club finger coral / Finger coral; characterized by thick branches ($>2\,cm$) that may be stubby and little developed with enlarged, blunt tips, with developed branches being upright or sprawling, often grey and occasionally bright blue.

Porites porites forma divaricata (PDIV)

Thin finger coral; characterized by the most slender ($<1\,cm$) and widely spaced branches that are often divided at their tips and likely to have live tissues at their bases.

Porites porites forma furcata (PFUR)

Branched finger coral; forms extensive colonies with dead basal parts and intermediate branch width ($1-2\,cm$), elongate, tightly compact, and with finger-like branches having rounded tips.

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 / MFAV)

Mountainous star coral; distinctively features ridges and bumps on its surface.

Orbicella [Montastraea] franksi (OFRA)

Boulder star coral

Orbicella [Montastraea] annularis (OANN)

Lobed star coral

Diploria labyrinthiformis (DLAB)

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

Pseudodiploria clivosa (DCLI)

Knobby brain coral

Pseudodiploria strigosa (DSTR / PSTR)

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 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)