Cauliflower coral

Pocillopora verrucosa

Corals and anemones
IUCN: Endangered

Usual depth0–47 m
Water temperature23–29 °C
Best monthsMarch
How commonOccasional

About this species

Pocillopora verrucosa, commonly known as cauliflower coral, rasp coral, or knob-horned 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 verrucosa”, 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: 41 records
February: 232 records
March: 1,338 records
April: 558 records
May: 127 records
June: 9 records
July: 16 records
August: 65 records
September: 21 records
October: 9 records
November: 13 records
December: 17 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–47 m · Deepest record: 287 m

0–10 m: 656 records
10–20 m: 77 records
20–30 m: 31 records
30–40 m: 225 records
40–50 m: 1,097 records
50–60 m: 24 records
60–70 m: 2 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 3 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 23–29 °C

22–24 °C: 7 records
24–26 °C: 16 records
26–28 °C: 128 records
28–30 °C: 430 records

Names and classification

English: Cauliflower coral, Warty bushcoral, cauliflower coral, Rasp Coral, warty bushcoral

Names in 5 more languages

German: Pfötchen-Koralle, Warzige Buschkoralle
Spanish: Coral coliflor, Coral Raspa, Hongo divino semejante a un pajarito
French: Corail framboise, Corail Lime
Japanese: イボハダハナヤサイサンゴ
Simplified Chinese: 疣鹿角珊瑚

Other scientific names: Madrepora verrucosa, Pocillopora danae, Pocillopora hemprichi

Similar species

Cauliflower coral
Pocillopora damicornis
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).
3,063 open-data records from 1786 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