Corals of Florida and the Caribbean by Warner George F.;

Author:Warner, George F.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Published: 2012-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Plate 2.85. Colony of smooth star coral, Solenastrea bournoni, among sea grass in the Port Royal Cays, Jamaica.

Solenastrea bournoni, smooth star coral (plates 2.85–2.87)

S. bournoni can grow into quite large dome-shaped colonies 30–50 cm high and across, and sometimes larger. The outline is generally smooth with minor irregularities. The separate corallites are superficially like those of Montastraea annularis, being similar in size (diameter 2–3 mm) and circular in shape; however, the septa protrude less, so the corallites appear lower and flat topped, and have paliform lobes (plate 2.87). In life, the color is yellowish green or yellowish brown and the polyps are often expanded by day, giving the colony a slightly fuzzy look. When contracted, the polyps concentrate their color into the corallites, which then appear darker brown against the lighter surrounding tissues.

Solenastrea bournoni is generally uncommon but may be frequent in its preferred environment: shallow (2–5 m), often turbid sites, with sandy or muddy substrates and sea grass.

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