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| hard corals text index | photo index |
| Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Scleractinia |
| Poritid
corals Family Poritidae updated Nov 2019 Where seen? This family includes some of the most commonly seen hard corals on our Southern and Northern shores. The Family Poritidae include members with widely varying characteristics. Pore corals (Porites sp.) have among the smallest polyps, while some Goniopora corals (Goniopora sp.) have polyps that are so large and long that they may be mistaken for sea anemones. The family is considered the third largest contributor to reef formation, especially Pore corals. Pore corals form large, long-lived colonies, while Goniopora corals are opportunistic and are among those that settle early in new areas. Alveopora sp. have polyps that appear similar to those of Goniopora sp. But while Goniopora polyps have 24 tentacles, Alveopora polyps have 12 tentacles with tips that may be bulbous or flattened, and are shorter and smaller. Status and threats: Some members of the Family Poritidae recorded in Singapore are listed as globally threatened by the IUCN. Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Trampling by careless visitors, and over-collection also have an impact on local populations. |
| Some Poritid corals on Singapore shores |
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| Family
Poritidae recorded for Singapore from Danwei Huang, Karenne P. P. Tun, L. M Chou and Peter A. Todd. 30 Dec 2009. An inventory of zooxanthellate sclerectinian corals in Singapore including 33 new records **the species found on many shores in Danwei's paper. in red are those listed as threatened on the IUCN global list. *Groups based on in Veron, Jen. 2000. Corals of the World.
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