DiscoverSpeciesCorals and anemones
Octopus coral
Galaxea astreata
- Usual depth2–13 m
- Water temperature19–29 °C
- Best monthsMay
- How commonOccasional
About this species
Galaxea astreata is a common and cosmopolitan large polyp scleractinian coral, in the family Euphylliidae. It has a sub-massive morphology. It is found in the Indo-Pacific and is the most abundant coral species in Xuwen Coral Reef National Nature Reserve. G. astreata is acclimatized to water temperatures ranging from about 27 ± 0.5 °C. It is generally a shallow-water coral and is commonly seen at a depth of around 15 meters. It can range from a depth of 1 meter to 30 meters. It generally prefers clear, salt waters over turbid brackish waters.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Galaxea astreata”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 17 records
- February: 18 records
- March: 7 records
- April: 10 records
- May: 60 records
- June: 2 records
- July: 7 records
- August: 16 records
- September: 14 records
- October: 5 records
- November: 4 records
- December: 4 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 2–13 m · Deepest record: 57 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 19–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Octopus coral, Scalpel coral, Galaxea coral, octopus coral, scalpel coral
Names in 3 more languages
- German
- Skalpellkoralle, Sternkoralle
- Japanese
- オガサワラアザミサンゴ, チビアザミサンゴ
- Simplified Chinese
- 星形棘杯珊瑚
Other scientific names: Anthophyllum astraeatum, Anthophyllum astreatum, Anthophyllum clavus, Anthophyllum musicale, Anthophyllum sphaerula, Caryophyllia astreata, Caryophyllia musicalis, Galaxea clava, Galaxea clavus, Galaxea musicalis, Galaxea negrensis, Galaxea susanae, Madrepora musicalis, Sarcinula astreata, Sarcinula erecta, Sarcinula musicalis
Similar species
- Crystal coral
Galaxea fascicularis
- Joker coral
Euphyllia glabrescens
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 393 open-data records from 1767 to 2016.
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