Coral Field Guide
What are the twenty coral species commonly found in Hong Kong Marine Parks?
Classification of corals
Simple ways in Identifying corals
Growth form
| Massive / submassive |
a solid mass of corals, quite similar in all dimensions |
| Encrusting |
thin layer adhering closely to the substrate |
| Branching | tree like coral colony, forming branches |
| Laminar / Foliaceous | plate and leafy like, forming layers or tiers |
| Tabular | Table like, having a narrow base |
| Columnar | forming columns |
Examples of Hong Kong coral genera and their respective growth forms:
| Growth form | Hong Kong coral genera |
| Massive or Submassive |
Platygyra, Dipsastraea, Favites, Cyphastrea, Plesiastrea, Porites |
| Columnar |
Goniopora |
| Tabular |
Acropora |
| Branching |
Acropora |
| Encrusting |
Hydnophora, Leptastrea, Montipora |
| Foliaceous / Laminar |
Pavona, Montipora, Lithophyllon, Echinophyllia |