Cauliflower coral

Pocillopora damicornis

Corals and anemones
IUCN: Endangered

Usual depth4–11 m
Water temperature21–29 °C
Best monthsAugust and November
How commonCommon

About this species

Pocillopora damicornis, commonly known as the cauliflower coral or lace coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It is native to tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Pocillopora damicornis”, 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: 16 records
February: 44 records
March: 770 records
April: 2,749 records
May: 3,319 records
June: 31 records
July: 3,135 records
August: 6,542 records
September: 2,225 records
October: 3,408 records
November: 5,216 records
December: 200 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 4–11 m · Deepest record: 265 m

0–10 m: 14,775 records
10–20 m: 12,342 records
20–30 m: 104 records
30–40 m: 84 records
40–50 m: 25 records
50–60 m: 12 records
60–70 m: 2 records
70–80 m: 27 records
80–90 m: 23 records
90–100 m: 11 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 21–29 °C

20–22 °C: 2 records
22–24 °C: 11 records
24–26 °C: 58 records
26–28 °C: 844 records
28–30 °C: 21 records

Names and classification

English: Cauliflower coral, Raspberry coral, cauliflower coral, Lace Coral, raspberry coral

Names in 6 more languages

German: Himbeerkoralle, Himbeer-Koralle, Keulenkoralle
Spanish: Coral Coliflor
French: Corail chou-fleur, Corail Choufleur
Japanese: ハナヤサイサンゴ
Thai: ปะการังพุ่มไม้
Simplified Chinese: 細枝鹿角珊瑚

Other scientific names: Acropora damicornis, Madrepora damicornis, Millepora damicornis, Pocillopora cespitosa, Pocillopora diomedeae, Pocillopora lacera

Similar species

Cauliflower coral
Pocillopora verrucosa
Bush coral
Seriatopora hystrix
Hood coral
Stylophora pistillata
Madracis asanoi
Crusty pencil coral
Madracis pharensis
Bush coral
Seriatopora caliendrum

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).
33,380 open-data records from 1758 to 2024.

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