Meandering Coral Growth Form Meandering corals are next up on our list of coral growth forms. Meandering is just another word for brain corals as the long meandering walls and valleys looks like a brain! There are many different species…
Isopora cylindrica – a Solomon Island Specialty
Isopora cylindrica – Corals of the Solomon Islands A few days ago I landed in the Solomon Islands, and while this destination is a popular topic on the pages of Reef Builders, in fact, it is my very first time…
Learn About Coral Identification With the Ocean Gardener Coral Diver Course
Coral Identification Course If you’re interested to learn more about coral identification of species-rich Indo-Pacific corals you can now take a full three day, five dive Ocean Gardener Coral Diver, coral identification course with a trained Ocean Gardener instructors to…
Learn to Spot Encrusting Coral
Encrusting Coral Growth Form Corals grow in different growth forms to survive in different habitats, and the coral growth form which a most easily overlooked are the encrusting species. These corals creep along the rocks like a crust holding everything…
Grow Your Brain by Learning About Corals
By Dr. Laura Walton Earlier this year I attended a Reefdivers talk and was introduced to the idea of “Seeing the Reef with new eyes”: As divers we see the reef all the time, without ever really seeing it! Sure,…
Learn To Spot Six Types Of Plating Coral
Plating Corals Spotting coral can be overwhelming when everything looks the same. However, learning to recognize corals based on growth forms in the easiest way to master the art of coral spotting. Plating corals are found in all reef habitats…
Learn to Spot Six Types of Branching Coral
Six Types of Branching Coral One of the first steps to becoming a coral spotter is learning to recognize coral growth forms. An perhaps the most recognizable of them all is branching corals. But even within this recognizable group, there are…
Learn To Spot Coral Diversity: Large Polyp Corals
Large Polyp Corals Large polyp corals are any hard coral species which have thick fleshy tissue and large corallites over a few centimeters wide. There are even some extra large species with polyps that can reach 10 even 30 centimeters…
Learn To Spot Coral Diversity: Small Polyp Corals
Small Polyp Corals Do you remember how to tell the difference between hard and soft corals? Remember it has to do with the number of tentacles… We explained that hard corals are based on a six fold symmetry meaning they…
Learn To Spot Coral Diversity: Coral Growth Forms
Learn to Spot Coral Growth Forms Corals are the foundation of the marine environment, but the diversity of coral species often gets overlooked. Looking for corals can be overwhelming. There are so many different shapes, sizes and colors to look…
