Favites
A genus of stony corals with cerioid and plocoid corallites.
Favites is a genus of stony corals belonging to the family Merulinidae. These corals are found across the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean through the western Pacific, reaching as far north as Japan and east to the Line Islands and Tuamotu Islands.
Colonies of Favites are often massive and dome-shaped, though they can also form encrusting growths. Their corallites are mostly cerioid, meaning they share a common wall, but some are plocoid, with individual walls. The palliform lobes are indistinct, a feature that sets them apart from the similar genus Goniastrea.
The World Register of Marine Species lists the following species: Favites abdita, F. acuticollis, F. chinensis, F. colemani, F. complanata, F. favosa, F. flexuosa, F. halicora, F. magnistellata, F. melicerum, F. micropentagonus, F. monticularis, F. paraflexuosus, F. pentagona, F. rotundata, F. solidocolumellae, F. spinosa, F. stylifera, F. valenciennesi, and F. vasta.
Fossils of Favites have been found in marine strata dating from the Jurassic through the Quaternary, spanning from about 161.2 million years ago to the present. These fossils occur in many locations worldwide, including Europe, Indonesia, the Philippines, Africa, North and South America, Pakistan, Japan, and India.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Favites
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Favites colonies can be encrusting but are usually massive and dome-shaped. The corallites are mostly cerioid (sharing a common wall), but some are plocoid (with an individual wall), and the palliform lobes are indistinct, which distinguishes these corals from the otherwise similar Goniastrea.
The genus includes numerous species recognized by the World Register of Marine Species, such as Favites abdita, Favites chinensis, and Favites pentagona. Fossils of Favites are found in marine strata from the Jurassic to the Quaternary, with known localities in Europe, Indonesia, Philippines, Africa, North America, South America, Pakistan, Japan, and India.
Reader's Guide
Favites is notable as a genus of stony corals within the family Merulinidae, with a broad Indo-Pacific distribution. Its fossil record spans from the Jurassic to the Quaternary, indicating a long evolutionary history. The genus is distinguished from the similar Goniastrea by its indistinct palliform lobes. The species list provided by the World Register of Marine Species includes 20 recognized species, reflecting taxonomic diversity. Fossils have been recovered from multiple continents, suggesting widespread ancient occurrence. The genus's characteristics—colonies that are usually massive and dome-shaped, with cerioid or plocoid corallites—are key to its identification. Its presence in marine strata from Europe to the Americas underscores its paleontological significance.
Did You Know?
- Favites is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae.
- Its colonies are usually massive and dome-shaped, though some are encrusting.
- Fossils of Favites are found from the Jurassic to the Quaternary (161.2 to 0.0 million years ago).
- The genus is distinguished from Goniastrea by its indistinct palliform lobes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Favites?
Favites is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae, best known for building thick, rounded dome-shaped colonies with shared-wall (cerioid) corallites. It sits at the heart of the brain-coral group and is one of the most widely recognized merulinid genera.
Where can I find Favites in the wild?
Favites ranges across the full Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean through the western Pacific as far north as Japan and as far east as the Line and Tuamotu island chains. That makes it one of the most broadly distributed merulinid corals.
How do I tell Favites apart from the similar genus Goniastrea?
The most reliable field distinction is the palliform lobe: Favites has indistinct or nearly absent lobes, while Goniastrea shows them more clearly. Because both genera share a similar cerioid corallite layout, that soft-tissue detail is the go-to way to separate them.
What growth forms does Favites produce?
Most Favites colonies grow as massive, rounded domes, but the genus also puts down encrusting sheets over existing hard substrate. At the corallite level, the majority of species have shared walls (cerioid), though a few retain individually walled (plocoid) cups.
How far back does the Favites fossil record extend?
Favites fossils appear in strata from the Jurassic through the Quaternary, spanning roughly 161 million years of Earth history. Specimens have been documented from localities in Europe, Africa, North and South America, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan.
More in Brain and Merulinid Corals 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced