Knobby brain coral
Diploria clivosa
(Ellis & Solander, 1786)
Description:
Colonies form hemispherical domes or encrust rocky substrates. Dome-shaped colonies can be 1.2 m in diameter. The surfaces of the colonies usually have numerous irregular knobs, but occasionally form smooth, low, flattened, domes. The ridges rise sharply and do not have a distinct groove on top. The costae between adjacent corallites are discontinuous, and all costae are equal in thickness.
Color:
Green to brown, yellow-brown and bluish gray, valleys often lighter or of contrasting color.
Corallites:
Septa in nearly 4 complete cycles. Thickness of the septa unequal in the different cycles, with more than 24 septa per cm. Columella continuous between the corallites centers, thick, occupying half of the corallite width.
Habitat:
Inhabit many shallow environments, including both open reefs, lagoons in Turtle grass beds (Thalassia testudinum ) and even on mangrove roots, down to 40 m.
Distribution:
Common Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.