{"id":2778,"date":"2024-03-13T11:57:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T11:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/?page_id=2778"},"modified":"2026-06-26T22:23:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T22:23:26","slug":"orbicella-species","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/bb-observations\/taxonomic-issues\/orbicella-species\/","title":{"rendered":"Orbicella & Montastrea species"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAVIGATION
\nThis page is a sub-page of Taxonomic Issues<\/a>
\nTaxonomic Issues<\/strong> is a sub-page of ObsI<\/a>, a top-level page on
\nthe website Barbados Fringing Reefs and Seagrass Beds<\/a> (www.versicolor.ca\/barbados).
\nGo to ObsI<\/a> to view a list of all pages and subpages under ObsI<\/small><\/p>\n

\n

BOULDER STAR CORAL Orbicella annularis<\/strong><\/a>
\non https:\/\/www.edgeofexistence.org\/:<\/p>\n

“Previously known as Montastrea annularis<\/em>, Orbicella annularis<\/em> is one of the most dominant species across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico where it can form extremely large colonies which vary in morphology.<\/p>\n

“Unfortunately this species is also classed as \u2018endangered\u2019 due to high population declines. For example, 90% of the coral cover of this species was lost off the coast of Jamaica in 1994. Within the same year this species was split into three distinct species; O.annularis,<\/em> O.faveolata<\/em> and O.franksi<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“The considerable morphological variation within this species is characteristic throughout the Orbicella genus and there has such has been much debate over specific taxonomic affinities. The sheer size of the species in this genus makes them ecologically and structurally important additions to coral reefs as they provide refuges for reef dwelling species and can alter microclimates to suit other coral species.”<\/p>\n

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Corals of the World<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/a>
\nFor each species, this site provides a summary description, a distribution map and images. Good images<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

O.annularis<\/strong><\/em> (from Corals of the World<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

– Orbicella annularis<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
\nColonies are massive, forming lobed to columnar colonies. Corallites are flattened, of similar size, 2-3mm diameter, formed by extratentacular budding
\nColour:<\/strong> Brown or yellowish.
\nSimilar Species: Orbicella franksi<\/em> has an irregular surface, is more calcified and has more prominent costae. Orbicella faveolata<\/em> is less calcified, with more uniform corallites with thin costae. Formerly in genus Montastraea<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

O. faveolata<\/strong><\/em>. From Corals of the World<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

– Orbicella faveolata<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
\nColonies are massive, forming large rounded domes or columnar, becoming plate-like at edges.<\/p>\n

Colour: <\/strong> Brown, grey or yellowish-green.<\/p>\n

Well-defined species formerly in genus Montastraea<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>

O. franksi<\/em>\u00a0 From Corals of the World<\/a>
<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

– Orbicella franksi<\/strong><\/em><\/a>
\nColonies are massive to plate-like or encrusing with an uneven surface. Corallites are conical and commonly irregular in shape and size,<\/p>\n

Colour: <\/strong> Brown, grey or yellowish-green.<\/p>\n

Formerly in genus Montastraea<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n
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M.cavernosa<\/strong><\/em> From Corals of the World<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

– Montastera cavernosa<\/em><\/a><\/strong>
\n\u00a0<\/strong>Colonies are massive, forming boulders or domes, or are flat plates. Corallites are variable, but are usually conical and exsert
\nColour<\/strong>: Commonly green, brown, grey, or orange
\nSimilar Species: None.
\nHabitat: All reef environments, especially lower slopes.
\nAbundance: Common.
\nTaxonomic Note: A monospecific Atlantic genus, following significant taxonomic rearrangement of numerous other Atlantic and Indo-Pacific species into other genera.
\ndp: Corallites much larger than in O. annualris<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAVIGATION This page is a sub-page of Taxonomic Issues Taxonomic Issues is a sub-page of ObsI, a top-level page on the website Barbados Fringing Reefs and Seagrass Beds (www.versicolor.ca\/barbados). Go to ObsI to view a list of all pages and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":2274,"menu_order":30,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2778","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2778"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8821,"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2778\/revisions\/8821"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}