Club tip finger coral (Porites porites)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Porites porites · Authority: (Pallas, 1766) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 207238.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Acropora porites (Pallas, 1766); Madrepora porites Pallas, 1766; Porites flabelliformis Le Sueur, 1820; Porites plumieri Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864; Porites polymorpha Link, 1807; Porites polymorphus Link, 1807; Porites porites f. clavaria Lamarck, 1816; Porites porites f. porites (Pallas, 1766); Porites porites f. typica Vaughan, 1901; Porites porites var. clavaria Lamarck, 1816; Porites recta Le Sueur, 1820; Porites solanderi Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860; Rhodaraea porites (Pallas, 1766).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=207238 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)

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

Depth range: 0–50 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated.

SeaLifeBase notes: Common in shallow water in Bocas del Torro, Panama (Ref. 415). In Belize, it was found in a submarine cave near Columbus Cay at a depth of 10 m (Ref. 87209).

Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 45611) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Porites-porites.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

21,032 georeferenced occurrence records for Porites porites are published through GBIF from 46 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 106 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 23 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: Virgin Islands (U.S.) (7,519); Colombia (3,533); Puerto Rico (2,834); United States of America (2,325); Mexico (1,048).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5184779) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5184779&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=207238 (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 Porites porites (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 133395) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133395/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 5184779) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5184779/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Porites porites forms irregular patches of short, finger-like lobes with blunt, slightly swollen tips. Sometimes these are densely packed but in other locations they are widely spaced. The lobes are up to 2.5 cm wide which distinguishes this species from other members of the genus that have narrower lobes. They may be curved or hooked and grow in all directions. The colour is usually white or pale blueish-grey.

This species is known to be some of the oldest forms of life on earth due to the slow growth rate of the coral. The coral is formed from tiny polyps that attach together at the base of their skeletons and branch outward. Scientists believe that some Porites coral are up to 1,000 years old and can reach heights of 8 m and widths of up to 5 m.

Porites porites occurs throughout the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas and southern Florida and as far south as Venezuela. It is also found in shallow tropical seas off the west coast of Africa. It is found from low water mark down to a depth of about 20 m and occurs on both fore reefs and back reefs where the water is not too turbid. It also occurs on the prop roots of mangroves and among seagrass (Thalassia spp.).

Porites porites is a zooxanthellate coral, the tissues containing unicellular green algae living symbiotically within the cells. These are photosynthetic and use the carbon dioxide and waste materials produced by the coral, supplying oxygen and organic compounds in return. Unlike most stony corals, the polyps of Porites porites often extend their tentacles to feed in the daytime.

Porites porites is listed as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is because it is a common species throughout its range and the population seems stable. It is an adaptable species being found in a wide range of habitats and is not particularly susceptible to bleaching. It is prone to coral diseases but its chief threat is the loss of reef habitat through mechanical damage, violent storms, a rise in sea temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, increased sedimentation and tourism.

Source: Wikipedia: Porites porites — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porites_porites (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

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