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DiscoverSpeciesCorals and anemones

Papillose cup coral

Paracyathus pulchellus

  • Corals and anemones
  • IUCN: Not evaluated
  • Usual depth64–257 m
  • Water temperature16–29 °C
  • Best monthsJuly and October
  • How commonOccasional
All species

Photo credit: (c) Vicencio de la Cruz-Francisco, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Vicencio de la Cruz-Francisco · CC BY · iNaturalist

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 8 records
  • February: 50 records
  • March: 24 records
  • April: 42 records
  • May: 17 records
  • June: 25 records
  • July: 90 records
  • August: 45 records
  • September: 34 records
  • October: 60 records
  • November: 18 records
  • December: 10 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 64–257 m · Deepest record: 1,866 m

  • 10–20 m: 3 records
  • 20–30 m: 0 records
  • 30–40 m: 8 records
  • 40–50 m: 7 records
  • 50–60 m: 19 records
  • 60–70 m: 42 records
  • 70–80 m: 50 records
  • 80–90 m: 27 records
  • 90–100 m: 43 records
  • 100–110 m: 48 records
  • 110–120 m: 26 records
  • 120+ m: 296 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 16–29 °C

  • 14–16 °C: 1 records
  • 16–18 °C: 7 records
  • 18–20 °C: 125 records
  • 20–22 °C: 11 records
  • 22–24 °C: 10 records
  • 24–26 °C: 225 records
  • 26–28 °C: 269 records
  • 28–30 °C: 52 records

Names and classification

English
Papillose cup coral, Papillose cupcoral, papillose cup coral, papillose cupcoral, Papillose Cup Coral
Names in 1 more languages
German
Papillen-Nelkenkoralle

Other scientific names: Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) sinuosa, Caryophyllia sinuosa, Cyathina (Paracyathus) pulchella, Cyathina (Paracyathus) striata, Cyathina pulchella, Cyathina striata, Paracyathus aequilamellosus, Paracyathus africanus, Paracyathus agassizii, Paracyathus confertus, Paracyathus costatus, Paracyathus defilippii, Paracyathus insignis, Paracyathus striatus

Similar species

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).
  • 809 open-data records from 1869 to 2005.
  • Species data updated November 5, 2026.

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