Coralliophila violacea (Kiener, 1836)
28.7mm

Coralliophila violacea is the most common species in the genus at Kwajalein. It is most often found on species of Porites, but can be on some others as well.

The will often cluster in a depression in the coral, eating and killing the coral outward.

A coral that had fallen and was upside down was flipped back upright in case any of the polyps were still alive. The brown area is still living coral, but it is being eaten by a cluster of Coralliophila.

In the photos below, living Coralliophila were popped off their spots, showing the dead coral scars where they had been eating.

Created 17 December 2017
Updated 3 April 2024

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