Spine coral

Hydnophora microconos

Corals and anemones
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth0–49 m
Water temperature-0–30 °C
Best monthsApril
How commonOccasional

All species

Photo credit: (c) Greg III Espera, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Greg III Espera · CC BY · iNaturalist

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 53 records
February: 127 records
March: 28 records
April: 248 records
May: 65 records
June: 32 records
July: 24 records
August: 52 records
September: 27 records
October: 22 records
November: 23 records
December: 22 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–49 m · Deepest record: 65 m

0–10 m: 170 records
10–20 m: 31 records
20–30 m: 8 records
30–40 m: 27 records
40–50 m: 233 records
50–60 m: 28 records
60–70 m: 2 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of -0–30 °C

-2–0 °C: 1 records
0–2 °C: 0 records
2–4 °C: 0 records
4–6 °C: 0 records
6–8 °C: 0 records
8–10 °C: 0 records
10–12 °C: 0 records
12–14 °C: 0 records
14–16 °C: 0 records
16–18 °C: 0 records
18–20 °C: 0 records
20–22 °C: 0 records
22–24 °C: 7 records
24–26 °C: 31 records
26–28 °C: 139 records
28–30 °C: 417 records

Photos

(c) Greg III Espera, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Greg III Espera · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) natomik, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
(c) Ryan McMinds, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Spine coral, spine coral

Names in 1 more languages

Japanese: リュウキュウイボサンゴ

Other scientific names: Hydnophora klunzingeri, Hydnophora microcona, Hydnophora microconus, Hydnophorella microconos, Madrepora exesa, Maeandrina microconus, Monticularia microcona, Monticularia microconos, Monticularia microna

Similar species

Spine coral
Hydnophora exesa
Spine coral
Hydnophora rigida
Spine coral
Hydnophora pilosa
Spine coral
Hydnophora grandis
false knob coral
Astrea curta
lesser star coral
Coelastrea aspera

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.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
689 open-data records from 1816 to 2012.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist