Groups of domed column stumps. Colours vary from green to ochre (more often) depending on light. Upper corallites are densely distributed and clearly prominent but not as tightly packed and large as Great Star Coral’s (q.v.).  Tentacles usually extend at night, but may sometimes be partially extended during the day. Close-up views can be very deceptive: corallite/polyp diameter ranges from 3 to 5 mm.

NOTE: The species was until recently known as Montastraea annularis. It is part of a group that includes another two variations now known as Orbicella franksii (formerly Montastraea franksii, or Boulder Star Coral) and Orbicella faveolata (or Mountainous Star Coral). All three belonged to the Faviidae family, but this has now also been renamed to Montastraeidae (in other words what used to be designation is now transferred to family name). This being said, the vernacular names in English and French have remained unchanged.  

As the formation grows, corallites congregate towards the top of the stumps and as a consequence the lower vertical portions clearly tend to look abandoned and eventually eroded.

Colonies usually form a light brown mass covered in darker small-diameter corallites (less than 5mm in diameter). An encrusting coral, aspect and shape of a colony largely depend on substrate surface (can be flat or boulder). Corallite density may vary dramatically.

Common, often home to fanworms and Christmas Tree Worms.

Tentacles are often extended during the day. Their retraction tends to cause a change of colour of the affected area, hence the English name given to this coral. The corallites and their septa barely emerge from the coral surface.

Tentacles immediately retract if approached too closely, which contributes to dramatically change the surface aspect and coral of the coral.

Brown tentacles and body

Common

Twelve widely spaced thin tentacles

Generally invades Brown Tube Sponges

Uniformly red-orange, with flatish head and body compared with other lobsters.

Belongs to the Brown Algae category in spite of its predominent green colour (algae are subdivided into four colours: Brown, Green, Red and Blue-Green.

Silvery body with scales giving a diamond appearance with randomly distributed darker scales, these being dark grey, black or brown. Two translucent dorsal fins. Spotted eye “bezel”, with forward spots larger than the others.

Not as common as almost ubiquitous peppermint goby.

Distinguished from other similar gobies by two superimposed dark spots at the base of pectoral fin, plus vertical bar at base of tail fin.

Sandy bottom, moderate depths (10 metres)