Favia fragum

Lore & Background

The golfball coral is small and usually hemispherical in shape with a number of large corallites packed closely together, but it can occur in groups or may occasionally grow as an encrusting coral. The corallites contain one to three polyps and are normally round but can become elongated into an oval shape when the polyps are budding and a new corallite is being formed. The corallite walls usually consist of four complete whorls of septa and do not project appreciably from the surface of the coral. The costae of different corallites are distinct from one another. The colour is usually yellow or pale brown.

It is found in the tropical Atlantic Ocean at depths down to 30 metres, with its range extending from the west coast of equatorial Africa to South America, the Caribbean Sea and the southern United States. It is an inconspicuous species and occurs on coral reefs, on rocks, in seagrass meadows and among seaweed. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists it as being of 'least concern' because it is widespread and common and a loss of habitat from coral reef destruction is unlikely to impact it significantly.

Where degraded reefs have abundant macroalgae, it has been shown experimentally that coral larvae will settle in as great quantities on the seaweed as it will on the rubble substrate. Researchers showed that larvae of Favia fragum settled on Halimeda opuntia, an ephemeral alga that is unsuitable for post-settlement survival, and this may have significant consequences for the recruitment of corals on degraded reefs.

Reader's Guide

Favia fragrum, the golfball coral, is a colonial stony coral in the family Mussidae. Its significance lies in its broad distribution across the tropical Atlantic, from equatorial Africa to the Americas, and its status as a species of 'least concern' on the IUCN Red List, indicating it is widespread and common and unlikely to be significantly impacted by coral reef destruction. The species is inconspicuous, occurring on coral reefs, rocks, seagrass meadows, and among seaweed. A key ecological finding from the source article is that on degraded reefs with abundant macroalgae, larvae of Favia fragum settle on the seaweed Halimeda opuntia in quantities as great as on rubble substrate. This alga is ephemeral and unsuitable for post-settlement survival, which may have significant consequences for coral recruitment on degraded reefs. This experimental result highlights a potential challenge for reef recovery, as the coral's settlement behavior may lead to high mortality in altered environments. The species' legacy includes its role as a subject for understanding coral recruitment dynamics in degraded habitats, though the article provides no further historical or cultural context.

Did You Know?

• Favia fragrum is commonly known as the golfball coral.
• The species is found at depths down to 30 metres (98 ft) in the tropical Atlantic.
• Larvae of Favia fragum have been shown to settle on the alga Halimeda opuntia, which is unsuitable for post-settlement survival.