Rough feather coral (Ctenactis echinata)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Cnidaria · Class: Hexacorallia · Order: Scleractinia · Family: Fungiidae · Genus: Ctenactis.

Accepted name: Ctenactis echinata · Authority: (Pallas, 1766) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 216132.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Ctenactis gigantea (Dana, 1846); Fungia (Ctenactis) echinata (Pallas, 1766); Fungia (Ctenactis) ehrenbergi (Leuckart, 1841); Fungia (Haliglossa) echinata (Pallas, 1866); Fungia asperata Dana, 1846; Fungia echinata (Pallas, 1766); Fungia echinata f. neogenica Gerth, 1923; Fungia echinata var. gigantea Dana, 1846; Fungia echinata var. parvispina Döderlein, 1902; Fungia echinata var. undulata Döderlein, 1902; Fungia ehrenbergi (Leuckart, 1841); Fungia ehrenbergii (Leuckart, 1841); Fungia ehrenbergii var. gigantea Dana, 1846; Fungia gigantea Dana, 1846; Fungia limacina var. lobata Lamarck, 1816; Fungia limacina var. lobata bifurcata Lamarck, 1816; Fungia pectinata Ehrenberg, 1834; Fungia rueppellii (Leuckart, 1841); Fungia rüppellii (Leuckart, 1841); Haliglossa echinata (Pallas, 1766); Haliglossa pectinata (Ehrenberg, 1834); Herpetolitha rueppellii (Leuckart, 1841); Herpetolithas ehrenbergii Leuckart, 1841; Herpetolithas rüppellii Leuckart, 1841; Herpetolithus ehrenbergii (Leuckart, 1841).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=216132 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)

Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Ctenactis echinata. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 100 cm · Depth range: 0–40 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Vulnerability index: 60 of 100.

SeaLifeBase notes: The coral is moderately elongate (length to width ratio between 1.5 and 3 to 1) and may reach 1 m in length (Ref. 269). A solitary, free-living species often found in large aggregations at intermediate depths on reef slope benches (Ref. 269). Also on reef flats (Ref. 98471).

Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 45828) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Ctenactis-echinata.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

594 georeferenced occurrence records for Ctenactis echinata are published through GBIF from 32 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 159 distinct locations from a sample of 594 records, omitting 28 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Australia (216); Japan (71); Egypt (53); Indonesia (50); New Caledonia (43); Fiji (23); Philippines (18); Papua New Guinea (15); Cook Islands (10); Palau (10); Thailand (10); Saudi Arabia (9); Christmas Island (7); Marshall Islands (7); Myanmar (6).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Red Sea; Chagos; Indo-West Pacific; Indian Ocean; Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone; United States Exclusive Economic Zone; Papua New Guinean Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2260589) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2260589&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=216132 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Ctenactis echinata (Pallas, 1766) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 133148) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133148/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2260589) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2260589/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Ctenactis echinata is a medium to large oval disc coral, growing to a length of about 25 cm and a width of 10 cm. It has an axial furrow extending along most of its length with usually a single mouth opening, but occasionally there may be more than one. The primary septa are thick and heavily toothed with large triangular teeth. In between them are one to five secondary septa, smaller and lightly toothed.

A large individual may have more than a thousand septa. The costae, on the underside of the coral, are poorly defined and have long arborescent or cylindrical spines arranged in radial rows. The colour of this coral is usually pale brown.

Ctenactis echinata is native to the Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to China, Japan, Indonesia and northern Australia, as well as various island groups in the western and central Pacific Ocean. It is found on reef flats and slopes and in lagoons to depths of 20 m.

Source: Wikipedia: Ctenactis echinata — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctenactis_echinata (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.