Orbicella franksi

Orbicella franksi NatureServe Explorer Species Reports — NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

FWS Digital Media Library — Until recently this coral, along with Orbicella faveolata, was thought to be a variety of Orbicella annularis. There is very little morphological differences between them but studies have shown differences in corallite structure, life history, allozymes and distribution. All three members of this species complex used to be placed in the genus Montastraea. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Orbicella franksi, commonly known as boulder star coral, is a colonial stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It is native to shallow waters in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Florida, and is listed as a “vulnerable species” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Until recently this coral, along with Orbicella faveolata, was thought to be a variety of Orbicella annularis. There is very little morphological differences between them but studies have shown differences in corallite structure, life history, allozymes and distribution. All three members of this species complex used to be placed in the genus Montastraea.