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Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Scleractinia > Family Faviidae
Ring favid corals
Family Faviidae
updated Nov 11
Where seen? These corals with circular corallites are commonly seen on many of our shores.

Features: Colonies seen about 10-15cm, sometimes larger. The corallites have separate walls and are generally circular. Some species of Favid corals recorded for Singapore that have these patterns include: Barabattoia, Favia, Favites, Montastrea and Lepastrea species. It's hard to distinguish them without close examination of small features and they are grouped here by large external features for convenience of display.
  • Big ring coral colony boulder-shaped. Corallites with separate walls, generally circular or a smooth oval, sometimes squashed next to one another. Walls thick with regular ridges and no big 'teeth' sticking out.
  • Small o-ring coral colony boulder-shaped. Corallites with separate walls, generally circular.
  • Purple and white ring coral colony boulder-shaped. Corallites with separate walls with tiny sharp 'teeth', generally circular. Corallites closely packed against one another.

There are some Favid corals with ring-shaped corallites that are more easily identified in the field. These include:

  • Tiny ring coral (Cyphastrea sp.) colony boulder-shaped. Corallites tiny rings.
  • Zebra coral (Oulastrea crispata) colony encrusting. Corallites small, white on black background.
  • Moon coral (Diploastrea heliopora) colony encrusting or dome-shaped. Corallites large with ridges that radiate out in neat regular rays.
  • Trumpet coral (Caulastraea sp.) colony boulder-shaped. Corallites large, long 'stems' with oval or round tops thus resembling a trumpet.

Moon coral
Diploastrea sp.

Trumpet coral
Caulastraea sp.

Zebra coral
Oulastrea crispata

Tiny ring coral
Cyphastrea sp.

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