Orbicella annularis
Most studied and abundant reef-building coral in the Caribbean.
Orbicella annularis, commonly known as the Boulder star coral, is a species of coral that lives in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is the most thoroughly studied and most abundant species of reef-building coral in the Caribbean to date, and also has a comprehensive fossil record within the Caribbean.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Orbicella annularis
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Orbicella annularis has long been considered a generalist that exists at depths between 0 and 80 metres and grows into varying colony shapes—heads, columns, plates—in response to differing light conditions. Only recently, with the help of molecular techniques, has O. annularis been shown to be a complex of at least three separate species: O. annularis, O. faveolata, and O. franksi. This coral was originally described as Montastraea annularis.
Reader's Guide
The significance of Orbicella annularis lies in its status as the most thoroughly studied and most abundant species of reef-building coral in the Caribbean. Its comprehensive fossil record within the Caribbean provides a long-term perspective on reef dynamics. The recent molecular revelation that it is a complex of at least three separate species—O. annularis, O. faveolata, and O. franksi—has reshaped understanding of coral biodiversity and evolution. This discovery, based on molecular techniques, underscores the importance of genetic analysis in resolving species boundaries that were previously obscured by morphological plasticity. The coral's ability to grow into varying colony shapes (heads, columns, plates) in response to differing light conditions highlights its adaptive capacity across depths from 0 to 80 metres. Its original description as Montastraea annularis reflects taxonomic revisions that continue to inform coral systematics.
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