Stylophora sp. 1 tends to form rounded branched colonies on shallow lagoon and seaward reefs. It is sometimes identified as S. pistillata, but reportedly that species is found only around the Arabian Gulf.
Stylophora was one of the first reef corals to turn white during the first large scale coral bleaching event at Kwajalein in September, 2009. All the colonies we saw along the long reef between Bigej and Meck islands went abruptly pure white, standing out among the other corals. Most of the colonies died that year, although a few branches of many colonies survived to continue to grow.
With bleaching Goniopora.
A mostly dead colony with a few streaks of live branches that regained their yellow color after the water cooled back down.
Created 22 April 2020
Updated 11 June 2023