Leaf coral

Pavona explanulata

Corals and anemones
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth3–46 m
Water temperature-0–30 °C
Best monthsApril and May
How commonOccasional

All species

Photo credit: (c) Ewout Knoester, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Ewout Knoester · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 11 records
February: 24 records
March: 21 records
April: 42 records
May: 31 records
June: 15 records
July: 6 records
August: 18 records
September: 20 records
October: 17 records
November: 23 records
December: 11 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 3–46 m · Deepest record: 61.5 m

0–10 m: 62 records
10–20 m: 51 records
20–30 m: 2 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 30 records
50–60 m: 2 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: 9 records
22–24 °C: 14 records
24–26 °C: 50 records
26–28 °C: 127 records
28–30 °C: 88 records

Photos

no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Leaf coral, leaf coral

Names in 1 more languages

Japanese: ヒラシコロサンゴ

Other scientific names: Agaricia explanata, Agaricia explanulata, Lophoseris explanulata, Pavona (Pavona) explanulata, Pavonia explanulata

Similar species

Leaf coral
Pavona varians
Leaf coral
Pavona cactus
Leaf coral
Pavona clavus
Leaf coral
Pavona decussata
Leaf coral
Pavona duerdeni
Leaf coral
Pavona gigantea

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).
548 open-data records from 1816 to 2010.
Species data updated November 5, 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