2023/12/05
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Coral Field Guide

What are the twenty coral species commonly found in Hong Kong Marine Parks?

Classification of corals?

Description of twenty selected coral species commonly found within Hong Kong Marine Park Areas

Goniopora columna (Dana, 1846)

Family: Poritidae
Genera: Goniopora
Species: columna
Common name: Daisy coral
Field characteristics: The colonies are columnar with club-shaped ends. This is a distinctive coral as it has long, expanded polyps that are extended day and night. Hence, it is often mistaken as a soft coral. G.columna can inhabit soft substratum and is often recorded as large beds on sandy seabed in the deeper section of well-established coral communities. Fleshy polyps can prevent sediment settlement and subsequent smothering of living coral tissues. Polyps are brown with white, broad centres and often the tentacle tips are white. All Goniopora species have 24 tentacles per polyp.
Abundance: Abundant
Distribution : Recorded from the southern, eastern and northeastern waters of Hong Kong. Higher occurrence recorded from the eastern and northeastern waters of Hong Kong. Well-represented in Hoi Ha Wan, and Tung Ping Chau Marine Parks. Also recorded from Yan Chau Tong Marine Park.

Gonipora columna Gonipora columna
Gonipora columna Gonipora columna
Gonipora columna forming beds (Top left). Typical form of G. columna with broad oral cone, length of tentacles may vary

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