A coral colony is made of many tiny animals called polyps.
COMPLETE SPECIES PROFILE
Staghorn coral
Acropora cervicornis
One species, many connections.
Also known as: branching coral, staghorn acropora
WHY IT MATTERS
One species, many connections.
Its branches shelter juvenile fish and invertebrates and help build reef complexity.
- Scientific name
- Acropora cervicornis
- Animal group
- Invertebrate · Cnidaria
- Environment
- Marine
PUBLIC-DOMAIN VISUAL RECORDS
Two additional perspectives
Together with the primary image, these records show behavior and habitat without covering the photographs with labels.
INTERACTIVE TAXONOMY
Interactive classification
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DID YOU KNOW?
Curiosities that reveal how it lives
Staghorn coral can reproduce by fragmentation when a broken branch attaches and grows.
Its shape slows water and creates hiding places for young reef animals.
The coral’s color largely comes from microscopic algae living inside its tissues.
Where it lives
Shallow, warm Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs with strong sunlight and water movement.
How it lives
Coral polyps capture tiny prey, while symbiotic algae provide much of the colony’s energy through photosynthesis.
Key adaptations
Fast-growing branching colonies create extensive three-dimensional reef habitat.
Its connections
Its branches shelter juvenile fish and invertebrates and help build reef complexity.
Pressures and protection
Marine heat waves, bleaching, disease, storms, pollution, and physical damage threaten colonies.