Lesser Starlet Coral

Siderastrea radians

Small encrusting patches of coral. It often looks as though the colony is growing under the materials around it. The Lesser Starlet Coral could be confused with Massive Starlet Coral unless you look close. The Lesser Starlet's Corallites (holes) are not round in shape. Many look triangular or misshapen, whereas the Massive species' are round. The Lesser Starlet Corallites have deep, dark centers and more defined sepia (raised lines around the centers-see last picture). The Lesser Starlet colonies don't grow much wider than a foot across, most are much smaller.  They will grow in depths of 1 foot and deeper.