At certain times in the geological past, corals were very abundant. Like modern corals, these ancestors built reefs, some of which ended as great structures in sedimentary rocks. Fossils of fellow reef-dwellers algae, sponges, and the remains of many echinoids, brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, and trilobites appear along with coral fossils. This makes some corals useful index fossils. Coral fossils are not restricted to reef remnants, and many solitary fossils may be found elsewhere, such as Cyclocyathus, which occurs in England's Gault clay formation. Learn more about Coral and sea-whip
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Coral and Sea-Whip Species Videos
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Common Name | Scientific Name | Conservation Status |
Acropora Aculeus (2 videos) | Acropora aculeus | Vulnerable |
Acropora Branchi (44 videos) | Acropora branchi | Not Available |
Acropora Cervicornis (22 videos) | Acropora cervicornis | Critically endangered |
Acropora Cytherea (2 videos) | Acropora cytherea | Least concern |
Acropora Formosa (27 videos) | Acropora formosa | Near threatened |
Acropora Granulosa (2 videos) | Acropora granulosa | Near threatened |
Acropora Hoeksemai (7 videos) | Acropora hoeksemai | Vulnerable |
Acropora Horrida (2 videos) | Acropora horrida | Vulnerable |
Acropora Humilis (1 videos) | Acropora humilis | Near threatened |
Acropora Hyacinthus (28 videos) | Acropora hyacinthus | Near threatened |
Acropora Indonesia (158 videos) | Acropora indonesia | Not Available |
Acropora Magnifica (8 videos) | Acropora magnifica | Not Available |
Acropora Microclados (1 videos) | Acropora microclados | Vulnerable |
Acropora Palifera (14 videos) | Acropora palifera | Not Available |
Acropora Pharaonis (6 videos) | Acropora pharaonis | Vulnerable |
Acropora Robusta (13 videos) | Acropora robusta | Least concern |
Acropora Tenuis (2 videos) | Acropora tenuis | Not Available |
Acropora Teres (37 videos) | Acropora teres | Not Available |
Acropora Yongei (1 videos) | Acropora yongei | Least concern |
Alcyonium Digitatum (30 videos) | Alcyonium digitatum | Not Available |
Alveopora Gigas (1 videos) | Alveopora gigas | Vulnerable |
Anchor Coral (10 videos) | Euphyllia ancora | Vulnerable |
Anemone Coral (62 videos) | Goniopora albiconus | Vulnerable |
Antipathes Fiordensis (3 videos) | Antipathes fiordensis | Not Available |
Antler Coral (42 videos) | Pectinia alcicornis | Vulnerable |
Apache Plume (2 videos) | Fallugia paradoxa | Not Available |
Balanophyllia Elegans (1 videos) | Balanophyllia elegans | Not Available |
Birdsnest Coral (4 videos) | Seriatopora aculeata | Vulnerable |
Black Coral (95 videos) | Antipathes dichotoma | Not Available |
Blue Coral (95 videos) | Heliopora coerulea | Vulnerable |
Boulder Star Coral (3 videos) | Orbicella annularis | Not Available |
Bowl Coral (5 videos) | Halomitra clavator | Vulnerable |
Brain Coral (157 videos) | Platygyra daedalea | Least concern |
Branch Coral (3 videos) | Acropora florida | Near threatened |
Branching Fire Coral (2 videos) | Millepora alcicornis | Least concern |
Bubblegum Coral (54 videos) | Paragorgia arborea | Not Available |
Button Coral (2 videos) | Parascolymia vitiensis | Not Available |
California Hydrocoral (1 videos) | Stylaster californicus | Not Available |
Catch Bowl Coral (5 videos) | Isopora palifera | Near threatened |
Cauliflower Coral (88 videos) | Pocillopora ankeli | Vulnerable |
Chalice Coral (5 videos) | Echinophyllia costata | Vulnerable |
Cirrhipathes Spiralis (3 videos) | Cirrhipathes spiralis | Not Available |
Common Sea Fan (6 videos) | Gorgonia ventalina | Not Available |
Cynarina Lacrymalis (2 videos) | Cynarina lacrymalis | Near threatened |
Deep-water Sea Fan (6 videos) | Iciligorgia schrammi | Not Available |
Deepwater White Coral (290 videos) | Lophelia pertusa | Not Available |
Diploastrea Heliopora (20 videos) | Diploastrea heliopora | Near threatened |
Disc Coral (2 videos) | Turbinaria bifrons | Vulnerable |
Duncanopsammia Axifuga (1 videos) | Duncanopsammia axifuga | Near threatened |
Elkhorn Coral (67 videos) | Acropora palmata | Critically endangered |
Elliptical Star Coral (6 videos) | Favia speciosa | Least concern |
Euphyllia Glabrescens (2 videos) | Euphyllia glabrescens | Near threatened |
Finger Coral (43 videos) | Caulastraea curvata | Not Available |
Fire Coral (84 videos) | Millepora boschmai | Critically endangered |
Flowerpot Coral (7 videos) | Goniopora columna | Near threatened |
Giant Star Coral (2 videos) | Moseleya latistellata | Vulnerable |
Golfball Coral (1 videos) | Favia fragum | Least concern |
Goniastrea Edwardsi (2 videos) | Goniastrea edwardsi | Least concern |
Grape Coral (5 videos) | Euphyllia cristata | Vulnerable |
Great Star Coral (12 videos) | Montastraea cavernosa | Least concern |
Grooved Brain Coral (6 videos) | Diploria labyrinthiformis | Least concern |
Head Coral (15 videos) | Favia favus | Least concern |
Heliofungia Actiniformis (2 videos) | Heliofungia actiniformis | Vulnerable |
Honeycomb Coral (22 videos) | Favites abdita | Near threatened |
Hump Coral (24 videos) | Porites annae | Near threatened |
Leaf Coral (5 videos) | Pavona bipartita | Vulnerable |
Lesser Star Coral (9 videos) | Goniastrea deformis | Vulnerable |
Lesser Starlet Coral (1 videos) | Siderastrea radians | Least concern |
Lesser Valley Coral (1 videos) | Platygyra lamellina | Near threatened |
Lettuce Coral (72 videos) | Agaricia agaricites | Least concern |
Massive Starlet Coral (2 videos) | Siderastrea glynni | Critically endangered |
Maze Coral (5 videos) | Meandrina meandrites | Least concern |
Melithaea Ochracea (2 videos) | Melithaea ochracea | Not Available |
Millepora Dichotoma (4 videos) | Millepora dichotoma | Least concern |
Millepora Tenella (2 videos) | Millepora tenella | Not Available |
Millepora Tenera (1 videos) | Millepora tenera | Least concern |
Montastraea Annularis (1 videos) | Montastraea annularis | Not Available |
Montipora Capitata (8 videos) | Montipora capitata | Near threatened |
Montipora Tuberculosa (6 videos) | Montipora tuberculosa | Least concern |
Muricea Californica (6 videos) | Muricea californica | Not Available |
Muricea Fruticosa (3 videos) | Muricea fruticosa | Not Available |
Mushroom Coral (58 videos) | Cantharellus noumeae | Endangered |
Mustard Hill Coral (1 videos) | Porites astreoides | Least concern |
Net Coral (1 videos) | Alveopora allingi | Vulnerable |
Octopus Coral (14 videos) | Galaxea astreata | Vulnerable |
Orange Cup Coral (46 videos) | Tubastraea coccinea | Not Available |
Paramuricea Placomus (50 videos) | Paramuricea placomus | Not Available |
Pennatula Phosphorea (31 videos) | Pennatula phosphorea | Not Available |
Pillar Coral (27 videos) | Dendrogyra cylindrus | Vulnerable |
Pineapple Coral (1 videos) | Blastomussa merleti | Not Available |
Plerogyra Simplex (1 videos) | Plerogyra simplex | Near threatened |
Plerogyra Sinuosa (20 videos) | Plerogyra sinuosa | Near threatened |
Pocillopora Damicornis (4 videos) | Pocillopora damicornis | Least concern |
Pocillopora Eydouxi (18 videos) | Pocillopora eydouxi | Near threatened |
Pocillopora Meandrina (9 videos) | Pocillopora meandrina | Least concern |
Pore Coral (22 videos) | Montipora altasepta | Vulnerable |
Porites Compressa (14 videos) | Porites compressa | Least concern |
Porites Evermanni (5 videos) | Porites evermanni | Data deficient |
Porites Lichen (2 videos) | Porites lichen | Least concern |
Porites Lobata (61 videos) | Porites lobata | Near threatened |
Porites Nodifera (2 videos) | Porites nodifera | Least concern |
Porites Porites (130 videos) | Porites porites | Least concern |
Porites Rus (5 videos) | Porites rus | Not Available |
Pseudoplexaura Porosa (1 videos) | Pseudoplexaura porosa | Not Available |
Ptilosarcus Gurneyi (8 videos) | Ptilosarcus gurneyi | Not Available |
Red Coral (35 videos) | Corallium rubrum | Not Available |
Red Gorgonian Coral (15 videos) | Leptogorgia chilensis | Not Available |
Ridge Coral (15 videos) | Australogyra zelli | Vulnerable |
Scolymia Australis (1 videos) | Scolymia australis | Least concern |
Scroll Coral (26 videos) | Agaricia undata | Data deficient |
Sea Pansy (1 videos) | Renilla reniformis | Not Available |
Sea Plume (12 videos) | Pseudopterogorgia spp. | Not Available |
Sinuous Cup Coral (1 videos) | Symphyllia agaricia | Least concern |
Staghorn Coral (714 videos) | Acropora abrolhosensis | Vulnerable |
Star Column Coral (4 videos) | Pavona clavus | Least concern |
Star Coral (0 videos) | Paramontastraea serageldini | Not Available |
Starlet Coral (3 videos) | Siderastrea stellata | Data deficient |
Stony Coral (904 videos) | Isopora cuneata | Vulnerable |
Symmetrical Brain Coral (2 videos) | Diploria strigosa | Least concern |
Table Coral (375 videos) | Acropora clathrata | Least concern |
Thin Birdsnest Coral (2 videos) | Seriatopora hystrix | Least concern |
Thin Leaf Lettuce Coral (13 videos) | Agaricia tenuifolia | Near threatened |
Torch Coral (2 videos) | Euphyllia paraglabrescens | Vulnerable |
Tubastraea Faulkneri (1 videos) | Tubastraea faulkneri | Not Available |
Tube Coral (14 videos) | Cladocora arbuscula | Least concern |
Turbinaria Mesenterina (4 videos) | Turbinaria mesenterina | Vulnerable |
Turbinaria Reniformis (21 videos) | Turbinaria reniformis | Vulnerable |