Daisy coral (Goniopora stokesi)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Goniopora stokesi is a species of colonial stony coral. As with other species in genus Goniopora, it has the common names 'flowerpot coral' and 'daisy coral'. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorises its status as near threatened.
- Scientific name
- Goniopora stokesi
- Authority
- Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851
- Family
- Poritidae
- Order
- Scleractinia
- Depth range
- 2–26 m
- Habitat zone
- reef-associated
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
- Gbif occurrence records
- 144
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Cnidaria · Class: Hexacorallia · Order: Scleractinia · Family: Poritidae · Genus: Goniopora.
Accepted name: Goniopora stokesi · Authority: Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 207219.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Alveopora irregularis Crossland, 1952; Goniopora irregularis (Crossland, 1952).
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=207219 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Goniopora stokesi. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Depth range: 2–26 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated.
SeaLifeBase notes: Prefer cleaner waters. Polyps expand during the day (Ref. 130769).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 45685) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Goniopora-stokesi.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
144 georeferenced occurrence records for Goniopora stokesi are published through GBIF from 19 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 63 distinct locations from a sample of 144 records, omitting 9 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 (69); Indonesia (13); Japan (11); India (10); Seychelles (7); Mayotte (7); Maldives (4); New Caledonia (4); Palau (3); Egypt (2); Micronesia (Federated States of) (2); Kenya (2); Philippines (2); French Southern Territories (2); Yemen (2).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Madagascar; Aldabra; Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone; Red Sea; Chagos; Somali Exclusive Economic Zone; Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Indo-West Pacific; Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone; Ashmore-Cartier Is.; Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2260465) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2260465&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=207219 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Goniopora stokesi Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 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 133668) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133668/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2260465) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2260465/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Goniopora stokesi is found widely across the northern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. In roughly clockwise order: from Madagascar and the Gulf of Aden in the west, through the Maldives and southern India, through the East Indies, up to Japan, and down to northern parts of Western Australia, and to the Great Barrier Reef in the east. It has been described as usually uncommon but conspicuous, but sometimes locally common. It has been reported at depths of 9 - 20 m, less commonly at 3 - 30 m. It is usually free-living; that is, not attached to a fixed substrate. Colonies are often found on sandy bottoms, in turbid and relatively still waters. They are usually hemispherical, and often have satellite (daughter) colonies which have not yet budded off.
Goniopora stokesi has a reputation among aquarists both of being readily available commercially, and of being difficult to maintain in The aquarium trade may be one reason why the species is under threat.
The specific epithet stokesi may be in honour of Charles Stokes ( - 1853), a respected English amateur malacologist. It would be necessary to consult the original paper describing the species (which does not seem to have been digitised) to settle the matter.
Source: Wikipedia: Goniopora stokesi — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goniopora_stokesi (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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