Reef Stories

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Corals

The building blocks of the reef

Coral Diversity



Coral Index

Corals



Acropora

Acropora

Brain Corals

Brain Corals

Galaxia

Galaxia

Large Daytime Corals

Large Daytime Corals

Millepora

Fish - Anthias

Montepora

Montepora

Porites

Porites

Solitary Corals

Solid Corals

Tubastrea

Tubastrea

Our reefs could look like the title photo. Shattered by bombs and everything killed by cyanide. (Togian Islands)
There are however still healthy reefs as in West Papua. Of the 830 corals in the world, 566 can be found in Raja Ampat. Pulau Pef sits in the middle of this area and the reefs around Pef and the surrounding islands are varied in habitats and thus rich in corals.

Our reefs could look like the title photo though. Shattered by bombs and everything killed by cyanide. 500 million years of evolution hang in the balance. Help protect our reefs - donate now! There is no planet B....

Acropora



Acropora is one of the largest groups of corals. They are all characterised by an axial corallite. The growth form is usually branching, but can form both flat plates and plates with short branches growing up from the plates.

Many species are the fastest growing corals, but have fragile skeletons easily damaged by ships anchors and storms. Viruses have decimated populations in the Caribbean.

The structure of many species makes them a perfect shelter for many species of fish and crab. At the first sign of danger, young fish hide between the sharp branches. Larger fish make their home below platelike colonies. This makes Acropora an important contributor to reef biodiversity.

Pristine Acropora seascape
Several Acropora species growing as plates and branching colonies
Acropora hyacinthus  colony near the surface
Branch detail with polyps beginning to feed
Acropora growing vertically. Axial coralites very distinct
Chromis just leaving the safety of an Acropora platelike colony
Newly established colony
Acropora - young colony
Acropora with cusped radial corallites
Branch ends of the plate colony. Axial coralites very distinct.
Acropora cf. humilis showing it
Acropora cf. aspera
Acropora cf. aspera branch detail
These microgobies live in close association with finely branched Acropora species
Acropora cf. rosaria
Acropora cf. longicyathus
Fish feeding outside the protection of the colony
Cardinal fish hiding amongst the sharp branches of a bed of Acropora
Acropora branch detail
Acropora branch detail
Loosely branching forming a plate
Branch detail
A massive branching Acropora florida serving as home for large fish
Massive branches of an Acropora sp.
Acropora sp. branch detail
Acropora lokani
Platelike colony of A. lokani
Acropora millepora
Acropora millepora - branch detail
Huge Acropora plate colonies host a myriad of fish

Galaxia



Galaxia is a relatively easily recognized by it's high protruding septae. It can be encrusting, massive or branched.

Colonies with deep troughs between the corallites together with high corallites are often hosts to a unique species of pipefish. Another form of symbiosis that enriches the species diversity of reefs.

Galaxea fascicularis colony
Galaxea fascicularis polyps
Galaxea fascicularis polyps
Galaxea horrescens branches
Galaxea horrescens branches
Galaxea horrescens branches
Galaxia longisepta polyps

Montipora



Montipora is a very varied genus as can be seen in the images. The corallites are always small and set between skeletal structures. When branched the branch ends are usually fluted.

Montipora cf. delicatula - delicate vaselike colonies
Montipora cf. delicatula - colony edge with tiny polyps
Montipora cf. undata - an encrusting species
Montipora cf. undata - colony edge showing skeletal ridges
Montipora cf. undata - colony edge showing skeletal ridges
A species that encrusts & branches
Branching colony
Montipora cf. digitata
Montipora cf. digitata branches
Montipora cf. digitata branches
Montipora cf. carinata - branches
Montipora polyps feeding

Porites



Porites corals all have tiny corallites, under 1.5mm in diameter. In contrast to Montipora, the corellites have well developed walls. They can be branching, or truly massive colonies looking like huge pale brown boulders.

Parrotfish graze on reef corals as cows graze on grass. The damage you see on one of the Porites images was caused by a herd of large Bumphead Parrotfish. The white sand beaches so popular in many areas of the tropics are produced by Parrotfish. An adult Bumphead can produce 90kg sand a year.

Massive boulder forming Porites sp.
Porites polyps feeding
Colony suface showing the time corellites
Polyp detail showing tentacles starting to expand
Corellite detail on a massive colny building Porites sp.
Damage from grazing parrot fish
Branching Porites sp.
Porities sp. branch detail
Finely branching Porites sp.
Branch detail
Expanding polyps
Porites releasing eggs

Help Save Reefs!



The organisations that work to protect coral reefs and our oceans need as much support as they can get. Check out:

If you are a diver, and especially if you are an underwater photographer, donate. If you do nothing, there will be nothing to dive on and nothing to photograph.

These are suggestions, but not endorsements of the suggested organisations. It is your responsibility to review and check the charities you wish to donate to.

Acropora

Acropora

Acropora is one of the largest groups of corals. They are all characterised by an axial corallite. The growth form is usually branching, but can form both flat plates and plates with short branches growing up from the plates.

Many species are the fastest growing corals, but have fragile skeletons easily damaged by ships anchors and storms. Viruses have decimated populations in the Caribbean.

The structure of many species makes them a perfect shelter for many species of fish and crab. At the first sign of danger, young fish hide between the sharp branches. Larger fish make their home below platelike colonies. This makes Acropora an important contributor to reef biodiversity.

Pristine Acropora seascape
Several Acropora species growing as plates and branching colonies
Acropora hyacinthus  colony near the surface
Branch detail with polyps beginning to feed
Acropora growing vertically. Axial coralites very distinct
Chromis just leaving the safety of an Acropora platelike colony
Newly established colony
Acropora - young colony
Acropora with cusped radial corallites
Branch ends of the plate colony. Axial coralites very distinct.
Acropora cf. humilis showing it
Acropora cf. aspera
Acropora cf. aspera branch detail
These microgobies live in close association with finely branched Acropora species
Stacks Image 2404
Stacks Image 2409
Acropora lokani
Huge Acropora plate colonies host a myriad of fish

Galaxia

Galaxia

Galaxia is a relatively easily recognized by it's high protruding septae. It can be encrusting, massive or branched.

Colonies with deep troughs between the corallites together with high corallites are often hosts to a unique species of pipefish. Another form of symbiosis that enriches the species diversity of reefs.

Galaxea fascicularis colony
Galaxea fascicularis polyps
Galaxea fascicularis polyps
Galaxea horrescens branches
Galaxea horrescens branches
Galaxea horrescens branches
Galaxia longisepta polyps

Montipora

Montipora

Montipora is a very varied genus as can be seen in the images. The corallites are always small and set between skeletal structures. When branched the branch ends are usually fluted.

Montipora cf. delicatula - delicate vaselike colonies
Montipora cf. delicatula - colony edge with tiny polyps
Stacks Image 2513
Montipora cf. undata - colony edge showing skeletal ridges
Montipora cf. undata - colony edge showing skeletal ridges
A species that encrusts & branches
Branching colony
Montipora cf. digitata
Montipora cf. digitata branches
Montipora cf. digitata branches
Montipora cf. carinata - branches
Montipora polyps feeding

Porites

Porites

Porites corals all have tiny corallites, under 1.5mm in diameter. In contrast to Montipora, the corellites have well developed walls. They can be branching, or truly massive colonies looking like huge pale brown boulders.

Parrotfish graze on reef corals as cows graze on grass. The damage you see on one of the Porites images was caused by a herd of large Bumphead Parrotfish. The white sand beaches so popular in many areas of the tropics are produced by Parrotfish. An adult Bumphead can produce 90kg sand a year.

Massive boulder forming Porites sp.
Porites polyps feeding
Colony suface showing the time corellites
Polyp detail showing tentacles starting to expand
Corellite detail on a massive colny building Porites sp.
Damage from grazing parrot fish
Branching Porites sp.
Porities sp. branch detail
Finely branching Porites sp.
Branch detail
Expanding polyps
Porites releasing eggs