1. Identifying AGRRA Corals: Part 1 By Judith Lang Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program www.agrra.org © K. Marks

2. For images used in Part 1, special thanks to: L. Benvenuti, A. Bruckner, R. Ginsburg, W. Harrigan, P. Humann, B. Kakuk, R. McCall, C. Rogers, C. Sheppard, G. Shinn, R. Steneck, S. Suleimán, T. Turner, E. Weil, M. White The following images are Copyright © by New World Publications and by other photographers. Permission is granted to use the photographs in this presentation with the AGRRA Program and, with attribution, for other educational programs.. All other uses are strictly prohibited

3. Stony Corals Stony corals have soft polyps above a stony (calcareous) skeleton. Most reef-building corals form colonies of interconnected polyps. The shapes, sizes and color of the polyps and colonies are used to help identify corals. expanded polyps contracted polyps © C. Sheppard

4. The shapes and sizes of polyps are also visible in their underlying skeletons. elliptical & Y-shaped round long ridges and valleys short, reticulated ridges & valleys © G. Shinn Septa are conspicuous vertical partitions in the polyp wall. Coral Skeletons separated polyps interconnected polyps © G. Shinn

5. Colony shape – massive (= mound, columnar, heavy plates), crust, plate, branching Colony size range – small to big Colony surface – bumpy, smooth, ridged Polyp size – small to big Polyp shape – round, elliptical, irregular, Y-shaped, meandroid (= short or long ridges & valleys) Polyp color – brown, tan, yellow, olive, green, red Septal shape – fat, thin; smooth, toothed Adapted from P.R. Kramer What to Look for Underwater

6. Coding Corals in AGRRA Surveys Use the CARICOMP-based coral codes. The code for a genus is the first 4 letters of its genus name. ACRO = Acropora Use the genus code whenever you are unsure of a coral’s species identity. The code for a species is the first letter of the genus name followed by the first 3 letters of its species name. APAL = Acropora palmata

7. The stony corals illustrated in this presentation are limited to species that are found in the wider Caribbean at depths (<20 m) that are typical of most AGRRA surveys. For each species: (number in m and ft = maximum colony size) AGRRA Coral Species

8. Diploriastrigosa © W. Harrigan © M. White © S. Suleimán © R. Steneck Examples of massive corals Montastraea faveolata Montastraea cavernosa Poritesastreoides

9. Montastraea faveolata MFAV © C. Rogers small, round polyps diverse colors: greens, browns, grays; polyp centers sometimes brighter than the walls very large mounds with skirt-like edges or plates or crusts (to ~5 m/16 ft) MFAV MFAV Close-up © C. Sheppard

10. Montastraea faveolata MFAV surfaces smooth, ridged, or with bumps aligned in vertical rows © C. Rogers © R. Steneck

11. small round polyps that are alive at the tops of columns form plates at colony bases under low light conditions often light brown or yellow-brown large ( to ~4 m/13 ft) Montastraea annularis MANN © C. Sheppard MANN MANN

12. © A. Bruckner How similar to M. faveolata: small polyps can grow quite large (to ~4 m/13 ft) How differs: subdivide to form columns, with basal plates under low light conditions live polyps on column tops lack a skirt-like edge lighter range of colors Montastraea annularis MANN MANN

13. Montastraea franksi MFRA © P. Humann Close-up some polyps in the irregular bumps that are scattered over the colony surface are large and pale or lack zooxanthellae (can see skeleton below ) form mounds, short columns, crusts, and/or plates under low light conditions aggressive spatial competitor can grow quite large (to ~4 m/13 ft) MFRA © C. Rogers MFRA

14. M. franksi MFRA © T. Turner massive flattened, plates under conditions of low light bumps have enlarged polyps

15. Montastraea franksi MFRA © R. Steneck How similar to M. faveolata: have bumps on large mounds, crusts or plates How differs: polyps are somewhat larger; polyps on bumps are even bigger, irregularly shaped, and often lack zooxanthellae a more aggressive spatial competitor

16. © C. Sheppard Montastraea franksi MFRA How similar to M. annularis: small polyps on large columnar or platy colonies How different: many irregular bumps with enlarged, irregularly shaped polyps that often lack zooxanthellae more aggressive spatial competitor

17. © B. Kakuk Which Is which? M. annularis M. franksi M. faveolata MANN MFRA MFAV © C. Sheppard © C. Rogers

18. Complications! Some colonies look like “intermediates” of M. franksi, M. annularis and M. faveolata. If unsure of species identity, code as Montastraea MONT “In general, the genetic and morphological data suggest a north to south* hybridization gradient, with evidence for introgression strongest in the north. However, reproductive data show no such trend, with intrinsic barriers to gene flow comparable or stronger in the north.” Fukami et al. (2004) Evolution 58:324-337. *north to south = Bahamas versus Panama

19. How similar to M. annularis: small round polyps mounds How differs: lighter colours in life walls of some polyps are more distinct (“outies”) bumpy colony surface much smaller (to ~50 cm/20 in) gets dark spots disease Solenastrea bournoni SBOU © P. Humann SBOU

20. How similar to S. bournoni: light colours polyps with distinct walls similar max. size (to ~60 cm/2 ft) How differs: irregular, lobes above an encrusting base Solenastrea hyades SHYA © P. Humann SHYA

21. © C. Rogers Which Is which? M. franksi S. bournoni MFRA SBOU © C. Sheppard

22. M. cavernosa MCAV large, round, distinct polyps (“outies”) mounds, single columns, thick crusts or thick plates pink or orange fluorescence sometimes seen underwater is due to a photosynthetic cyanobacterium (blue- green alga) in the polyps (to ~3 m/10 ft) © E. Weil © J. Lang Close-up MCAV MCAV

23. M. cavernosa MCAV © T. Turner form flattened, massive plates (right) or crusts in low light conditions

24. protruding, round, elliptical and Y-shaped polyps (“outies”) cream to yellow brown; dark brown in low light conditions small mounds, crusts or plates (usually < 50 cm/20 in) © R. Steneck Dichocoenia stokesi DSTO DSTO © C. Sheppard DSTO DSTO

25. How similar to M. cavernosa: distinct polyps mounds, crusts or plates How differs: polyps are more separate, have straighter walls, some are elliptical or Y-shaped more distinct septa smaller © C. Sheppard Dichocoenia stokesi DSTO

26. How similar to D. stokesi: distinct, round-elongated polyps, some are Y-shaped How differs: polyp walls protrude less tiny teeth on septa yellow-brown small (usually < 10 cm/4 in) Favia fragum FFRA © P. Humann FFRA

27. Which Is which? D. stokesi M. cavernosa F. fragum DSTO MCAV FRA © C. Sheppard

28. Palythoa caribaeorum PAL MCAV PALovergrowingMCAV Close-up How similar to D. stokesi:* distinct polyps, some round and others elliptical cream or light tan color How differs: soft-bodied crusts–it’s a zoanthid, not a coral very aggressive spatial competitor * sometimes also confused with M. cavernosa © P. Humann © R. McCall

29. © L. Benvenuti Palythoa caribaeorum can be an excellent, early bleaching indicator partially bleached colonies

30. Siderastrea siderea SSID sunken polyps (“innies”) thin septa uniform colors large mounds (to ~2 m/6 ft) © R. Steneck SSID SSID

31. Siderastrea siderea SSID some bleached colonies are fluorescent bleached © R. Ginsburg dead

32. Siderastrea radians SRAD sunken “pinched” polyps (“innies”) thick septa crusts, low mounds or unattached nodules pale polyp walls, centers dark small (to ~30 cm/1 ft) © P. Humann SRAD

33. Siderastrea radians SRAD How differs from S. siderea: narrower polyps with fewer, thicker septa dark polyp centers smaller, flatter © C. Sheppard

34. Which is which? S. siderea S. radians SSID SRAD © P. Humann

35. Stephanocoenia intersepta SINT round polyps with thick septa brown color is most intense in polyp centers appear to “blush” when the polyps contract low mounds or crusts (to ~1 m/3 ft) © P. Humann SINT

36. Stephanocoenia intersepta SINT How differs from Siderastrea siderea: polyps are not sunken and “blush” when contracting larger septa How differs from S. radians: polyps are round, not sunken, and “blush” when contracting larger mounds or crusts © C. Sheppard

37. © E. Weil Yellow, yellow-green or olive (shallow), gray or brown (deep or shade) Small mounds, thick crusts or plates with bumps (usually < 1 m/3 ft) Porites astreoides PAST © C. Sheppard PAST PAST PAST

38. Tall, thin polyps look “fuzzy” when expanded Porites astreoides PAST © C. Sheppard Close-up