Acropora palmata Acropora palmata is the king of all Caribbean corals. Acropora palmata grows into thick robust branches and is the most important reef-building species in the Caribbean. Like it’s thinner cousin, Acropora cervicornis, palmata colonies provide complex habitat for juvenile fish. As…
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Acropora Palmata Corals Are Much Older Than We Thought
疣palmata研究人员at Penn State University have shown that colonial Acorpora corals, in particular, Acropora palmata are much older than previously thought. Although the oldest portion of the coral may no longer exist, the team looked at mutations in the living…
Acropora palmata, the majestic and endangered elkhorn coral
Acropora palmata, the Elkhorn Coral, is the quintessential Caribbean Coral Reef species. This species was once so abundant that entire regions of the reef were called the ‘Palmata Zone’ and it was important to know where the palmata zones were,…
Pacific Island Elhorn Acropora really does look a lot like A. palmata
Almost four years ago we shared with you the discovery of a Pacific Elkhorn Acropora coral; today we can tell you about finding and seeing this coral for ourselves and boy does it look a lot like its Caribbean counterpart.…
Elkhorn coral video shows what the ‘palmata zone’ used to look like
Oh Acropora palmata, the iconic elkhorn coral, how we love to gaze on thee! Once widespread and ecologically paramount in the Caribbean Sea, the elkhorn coral used to be so abundant that there were reef zones named after it. Nowadays…
Hybrid Reef Fish and Corals Are Much More Common Than We Knew
For over a decade we’ve been fascinated by hybrid marine life of all kinds and especially the ways that our beloved clownfish, angelfish, and many others turn out when their genetics get recombined in unexpected ways. While hybrid creatures may…
Caribbean Corals in a Hobbyist Reef Aquarium
As huge as the reef aquarium hobby has become around the world and especially in the U.S., we find it simply astounding how collectively ignorant reefers are of corals that live right off of our shores. Caribbean stony corals consist…
Estimates Place Half a TRILLION Corals in the Pacific Ocean
We’ve all heard that coral reefs are at risk of extinction due to a number of factors and exacerbated by climate change and coral bleaching. Aerial views of endless reefs of bleached corals sure does make for a poignant illustration…
Coral Spawning Recorded Across The Caribbean August 2020
The full moon in August is a frenzied time for Caribbean coral scientists. Three of the Caribbean’s most iconic coral species, Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis), Elkhorn (Acropora palmata), and Pillar Coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus), are preparing for one big night of synchronized…
Caribbean Coral Reef Decline Began In 1950s And 1960s From Human Activities
Not long ago, the azure waters of the Caribbean contained healthy and pristine coral reef environments dominated by the reef-building corals that provide home to one-third of the biodiversity in the region. But the Caribbean reefs of today pale in…
