Learn To Identify Caribbean Corals
Have to ever wanted to learn to identify Caribbean corals and don’t know where to start? I’ve made it my mission to photograph and document all the Caribbean coral I could find as a way to help scuba divers, snorkelers and underwater enthusiast learn how to identify corals!
Since I first started scuba diving in 2006 I’ve been pretty much obsessed with corals. On my very first dive I saw a coral restoration project and fell in love. Ever since then I’ve been on a mission to help protect corals around the world, and one of the best way I know how to do this is by helping people understand and learn more about coral identification.
My goal is to help people to see reef with new eyes by taking a closer look at corals and I’ve created this helpful guide to identifying Caribbean corals as a simple way for everyone to learn more about corals. If you like this guide share it with your friends and don’t forget to bookmark this page.
Coral Identification Tips for Beginners
With so much to look at underwater it hard enough to keep your eyes looking in one direction. Often when we’re first learning to scuba dive the underwater world is a mystery and our eyes haven’t had time to adjust to the new world. Our imagination easily gets carried away by turtles and fish, stingrays and sharks. And before you know it you’re out of air and the dive is over.
At this point we can be left saying, the dive was great and the corals were beautiful, but that’s where things get interesting. Corals often become the background for our dives and we don’t have enough time to stop and appreciate each little things. It’s like the expressions, it’s nice to take time to “stop and smell the roses”. Corals are like the little flowers of the sea and it’s fun to take our time and appreciate the diversity of life on the coral reef.
Coral ID can be confusing at first especially because the pictures you see in guide books don’t always look like the corals you find on the reef. One of the easiest ways I know how to identify corals is by first starting to look at the different growth forms like branching, or plating, and then start to narrow down each species.
Caribbean corals is a great place to start learning coral identification because there is only a few coral species you need to learn compared to a place like the Indo-Pacific with hundreds of hard coral species.

At the top of this guide I have included some quick identification guides which separate the corals based on their growth form. Below I have listed each coral in alphabetical order and if you click on each coral you can learn more about how to identify each specie in the wild
You can also find more of my articles about Caribbean corals in Scuba Diving Magazine, Scuba Diver Life, PADI, and Girls that Scuba. If you have any questions or need help identifying a coral leave a comment below or find me on instagram @nicole.helgason
What they say



Guide To Caribbean Coral Identification
Lowrelief Lettuce Coral
Agaricia humilis

Lamarck's Sheet Coral
Agaricia lamarcki

Boulder Brain
Colpophyllia natans

Pilar coral
Dendrogyra cylindrus

Pineapple coral
Dichocoenia stokesi

Grooved Brain Coral
Diploria labyrinthiformis

Smooth Flower Coral
Eusmilia fastigata

Golf Ball Coral
Favia fragum

Sunray Lettuce Coral
Helioseris cucullata

Sinuous Cactus Coral
Isophyllia sinuosa

Rough Star Coral
Isophylliastrea rigida

Yellow Finger Coral
Madracis auretenra

Star Coral Hybrid
Madracis carmabi

Ten Ray Star Coral
Madracis decactis

Encrusting Star coral
Madracis pharensis

Rose Coral
Manicina areolata

White Maze Coral
Meandrina jacksoni

Maze Coral
Meandrina meandrites

Branching Fire Coral
Millepora alcicornis

Blade Fire Coral
Millerpora complanata

Box Fire Coral
Millepora squarrosa

Great Star Coral
Montastrea cavernosa

Spiny Flower Coral
Mussa angulosa

Knobby Cactus Coral
Mycetophyllia aliciae

Low-Ridge Cactus Coral
Mycetophyllia danaan

Rough Cactus Coral
Mycetophyllia ferox

Ridged Cactus Coral
Mycetophyllia lamarckiana

Ivory Bush Coral
Oculina diffusa

Pillar Star Coral
Orbicella annularis

Mountainous Star Coral
Orbicella faveolata

Boulder Star Coral
Orbicella franksi

Mustard Hill Coral
Porites asteroides

Honeycomb Plate Coral
Porites colonensis

Thin Finger Coral
Porites divericata

Branched Finger Coral
Porites furcata

Finger Coral
Porites porites

Knobby Brain Coral
Psuedodiploria clivosa

Smooth Brain Coral
Psuedodiploria strigosa

Artichoke Coral
Scolymia cubensis

Fleshy Disk Coral
Scolymia lacera

Lesser Starlet Coral
Siderastrea radians

Massive Starlet Coral
Siderastrea siderea

Smooth Star Coral
Solenastrea bournoni

Blushing Star Coral
Stephanocoenia intersepta

Thin Leaf Lettuce Coral
Undaria tenuafolia
Knobby Star Coral
Solenastrea hyades