Smooth cauliflower coral (Stylophora pistillata)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Stylophora pistillata · Authority: (Esper, 1792) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 206982.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Acropora digitata (Pallas, 1766); Anthopora cucullata Gray, 1835; Madrepora (Porites) pistillata (Esper, 1792); Madrepora digitata Pallas, 1766; Madrepora digitata spathulata (Ehrenberg, 1834); Madrepora pistillaris Esper, 1797; Madrepora pistillata Esper, 1792; Matrepora pistillata (Esper, 1792); Millepora cellulata Forsskål, 1775; Pocillopora andreossyi Audouin, 1826; Porites digitata (Pallas, 1766); Porites digitata var. spathulata Ehrenberg, 1834; Porites digitate (Pallas, 1766); Porites elongata Lamarck, 1816; Porites pistillata (Esper, 1792); Porites scabra Lamarck, 1816; Porites subdigitata Lamarck, 1816; Sideropora digitata (Pallas, 1766); Sideropora digitata de Blainville, 1830; Sideropora digitata var. coalescens Dana, 1846; Sideropora elongata (Lamarck, 1816); Sideropora mordax Dana, 1846; Sideropora palmata Blainville, 1830; Sideropora pistillata (Esper, 1792); Sideropora subdigitata (Lamarck, 1816).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206982 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)

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

Maximum length: 50 cm · Depth range: 3–35 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Vulnerability index: 40 of 100.

SeaLifeBase notes: Depth based from occurrence (Ref. 8294); to be replaced with a better reference. Found in shallow reef habitats exposed to strong wave action (Ref. 98471). Common from the reef flat to intermediate depths (Ref. 269). Also in shallow fringing reefs and on rocks in khor channels (Ref. 102838). Shows a high degree of variation in branch thickness depending upon depth and degree of exposure, with more delicate forms found in deeper, more protected biomes (Ref. 269).

Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 45647) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Stylophora-pistillata.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

2,626 georeferenced occurrence records for Stylophora pistillata are published through GBIF from 56 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 319 distinct locations from a sample of 2,626 records, omitting 66 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 (1,279); Japan (300); American Samoa (145); Egypt (96); United States Minor Outlying Islands (85).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 4976552) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=4976552&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206982 (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 Stylophora pistillata (Esper, 1797) as Near Threatened (code NT). 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 133685) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133685/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 4976552) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/4976552/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Stylophora pistillata has broad, blunt-ended branches, and colonies become thicker and more submassive as they grow. The maximum diameter of a colony is about 30 cm. The corallites (stony cups from which the polyps emerge) are conical or hooded and are sunk beneath the general surface. The columella (central column of the corallite) is solid and prominent, and the septa (stony plates forming the corallite wall) may be fused to the columella. There are six primary septa and sometimes six secondary ones. Colonies can be cream, pink, bluish or green.

Stylophora pistillata is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from Madagascar, East Africa, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, through the Indian Ocean to northern Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, Japan and many island groups in the western and central Pacific Ocean. It is a reef-building species and favours exposed habitats with strong water movement. Its depth range is down to about 15 m.

This coral provides a home to gall crabs, Trapezia crabs, boring clams, date mussels, barnacles, Christmas tree worms and damselfish. Some, such as the date mussels, are parasites that bore into the coral structure and weaken the coral skeleton. However, boring clams bring fresh, oxygenated water into the colony which benefits the coral.

The chief threats faced by corals in general are climate change, with its associated sea temperature rise and increase in violent storms, and habitat destruction, as well as an increase in ocean acidification and an increasing susceptibility to coral diseases. Stylophora pistillata is prone to coral bleaching, a condition in which corals force out the beneficial zooxanthellae from their tissues and become white and liable to die. However, this is a common species of coral with a wide distribution and may be more resilient than some less widespread coral species. It is collected for the reef aquarium trade, with about 10,000 pieces being exported in 2005. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "near threatened".

Source: Wikipedia: Stylophora pistillata — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylophora_pistillata (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

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