Symmetrical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Pseudodiploria strigosa · Authority: (Dana, 1846) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 718718.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Coeloria strigosa (Dana, 1846); Diploria strigosa (Dana, 1846); Maeandra cerebrum var. sinuosa Verrill, 1907; Maeandra cerebrum var. strigosa (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860); Maeandrina strigosa Dana, 1846; Maeandrina viridis Lesueur, 1820; Meandrina strigosa Dana, 1846; Platygyra viridis (Lesueur, 1820).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=718718 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)

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

Depth range: 0–47 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated.

SeaLifeBase notes: Zooxanthellate (Ref. 116012). In Belize, it was found in submarine cave near Columbus Cay at a depth of 10 m (Ref. 87209).

Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 46693) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Pseudodiploria-strigosa.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

30,658 georeferenced occurrence records for Pseudodiploria strigosa are published through GBIF from 40 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 121 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 21 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: Colombia (10,081); Virgin Islands (U.S.) (6,655); United States of America (4,813); Puerto Rico (2,861); Mexico (1,026).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 7454555) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=7454555&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=718718 (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 Pseudodiploria strigosa (Dana, 1848) as Critically Endangered (code CR). 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 133155) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133155/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 7454555) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/7454555/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The symmetrical brain coral forms smooth flat plates or massive hemispherical domes up to 1.8 m in diameter. The surface is covered with interlinking convoluted valleys in which the polyps sit in cup-shaped depressions known as corallites. Each of these has a number of radially arranged ridges known as septa which continue outside the corallite as costae and link with those of neighbouring corallites.

The ridges separating the valleys are smoothly rounded and do not usually have a groove running along their apex as does the rather similar grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis). The coral has symbiotic dinoflagellate alga called zooxanthella in its tissues and it is these which give the coral its colour of yellowish or greenish brown, or occasionally blue-grey. The valleys are often a paler or contrasting colour.

Distribution and habitat

The symmetrical brain coral grows in shallow parts of the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Florida and Texas. It is probably the most widespread of the brain corals and not only occurs on reefs but also sometimes on muddy stretches of seabed where not many other corals flourish. It grows at depths down to about 40 m.

The fossilised remains of Pseudodiploria strigosa have been found alongside those of other massive corals, Pseudodiploria clivosa, Siderastrea siderea and Solenastrea bouroni, in marine deposits in Río Grande de Manatí, Puerto Rico that date back to the Pleistocene.

Biology

The symmetrical brain coral grows very slowly adding about 1 cm to its diameter in a year. This means that a large specimen over a metre (yard) across is at least a century old. In the day time the polyps retract inside their corallites but at night they extend their ring of tentacles and feed on zooplankton. The coral also benefits from the photosynthetic products produced by the zooxanthellae.

Source: Wikipedia: Pseudodiploria strigosa — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudodiploria_strigosa (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.