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Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Scleractinia > Family Dendrophyllidae > Turbinaria sp.
Encrusting disk coral
Turbinaria sp.*

Family Dendrophylliidae
updated Nov 2019
Where seen? This hard coral that forms thick encrusting plates is sometimes seen on many of our Southern shores.

Features: Colonies up to 15-30cm, sometimes larger. Generally a thick (about 1cm) encrusting plate that follows the contours of the surface.

Corallites small (0.5cm) smooth rounded bumps or conical with a large depression in the centre when the polyp is retracted, sometimes just a depression. Corallites generally spaced apart with a smooth surface between them. Polyps tiny rather transparent, usually only seen at night. Colony colours brown, yellowish brown, pinkish beige sometimes with a greenish sheen. The margins usually not in a different colour.

Turbinaria irregularis and Turbinaria stellulata may have these features.

St. John's Island , Oct 11

Tentacles tiny rather transparent.

Corallites smooth rounded bumps, conical or just a depression.

*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.

Encrusting disk corals on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Cyrene Reef, Dec 08

Pulau Hantu, Aug 04

Sentosa, Sep 08


Terumbu Pempang Tengah, Jul 12

Terumbu Pempang Tengah, May 11

Pulau Semakau, Sep 05


Pulau Pawai, Dec 09

Pulau Biola, Dec 09

Pulau Senang, Jun 10


Pulau Berkas, May 10

Terumbu Berkas, Jan 10

Terumbu Berkas, Jan 10


Terumbu Salu, Jan 10

Terumbu Salu, Jan 10

Pulau Salu, Jun 10
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