hard corals text index | photo index
Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Scleractinia > Family Psammocoridae
Boulder sandpaper coral
Psammocora sp.*
Family Psammocoridae
updated Nov 2019
Where seen? This smooth boulder-shaped coral with tiny star-like corallites is sometimes seen on some of our shores.

Features: Colonies 20-40cm, boulder-shaped with irregular humps, some with rather angular bumps, others with polygonal ridges. The tiny corallites don't stick much out of the surface and merely give the skeleton a granular texture which gives the common name. When the polyp is retracted, the tiny holes of the corallite look like tiny petals of a flower. Polyps tiny (0.2cm) with short pointy tentacles. With the tentacles extended, the colony has a furry look. Colours seen include brown and bright green and bright blue.

Pulau Sekudu, May 12

Polygonal ridges. Granular surface giving their common name of Sandpaper coral.

A closer look at the tiny corallites that
form petal-like shapes like a flower.


Labrador, Jun 05

Angular bumps.

Pulau Hantu, Apr 07

Tuas, Apr 05

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

Boulder sandpaper corals on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Pulau Sekudu, Jun 17
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook

Chek Jawa, Aug 13
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.


Tanah Merah, Jul 09

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Jun 22

Photo shared by Dayna Cheah on facebook.

Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Jun 22

Photo shared by Dayna Cheah on facebook.
links | references | about | email Ria
Spot errors? Have a question? Want to share your sightings? email Ria I'll be glad to hear from you!
wildfactsheets website©ria tan 2008