Coral Forms
Hard coral species are very difficult to identify. As they grow, they start molding into certain shapes, which helps to classify them. We call them growth forms. Hereafter are listed some of the most common growth forms:
Branching corals
Branching corals, as the name indicates, form branches, much like a tree. Each branch can grow other branches called secondary branches, which leads to complex yet fragile tridimensional structures, as branches can easily break off (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum, 2014).
Encrusting corals
Encrusting corals attach to rocky substrates and grow outwardly, covering the substrate as opposed to growing upwards. Since they do not grow away from the surface, they are less affected by wave action (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum, 2014).
Solitary corals
Not all corals form colonies. Some corals are in fact individual polyps. We call them solitary corals. Their shape varies and can either be round, oblong or oval. While some are free-living, others are attached to a substrate (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum, 2014).
Laminar corals
Laminar corals are slim slab-like corals that grow horizontally. Having a larger surface allows their zooxanthellae to maximize photosynthesis. These corals can also pick up food falling down from the reef slope (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum, 2014).
Meandering corals
Meandering corals are often called brain corals, owing to their dome-shaped colonies that look like brains. Two key features of brain corals are ridges and valleys, which proportions can help differentiate between species (Introduction to Meandering Corals of the Indo-Pacific, Nicole Hegalson, 2019)
Corymbose corals
Corymbose corals are also known as “crazy’ branching because they form irregular and dense bushy like structures. These are fast growing corals but require strong sunlight and current to thrive. Due to their intricate structures, they provide diverse habitats for juvenile fish living in the reef and invertebrates (The New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, 2007).