scubaseason

Orange Cup Coral

Tubastraea coccinea

Sighting evidence at El Tejoncito, Huatulco

Orange Cup Coral

Photo: David R · CC BY-NC

Dense colonies of orange cup coral festoon El Tejoncito's shaded wall faces from 8 m to 28 m, their brilliant orange polyps expanding fully at night to filter plankton from the current. Unlike reef-building corals, cup corals are azooxanthellate and thrive in low-light conditions, making this wall one of the most colourful in Huatulco regardless of cloud cover. Night dives transform the wall into a wall of flame as every polyp opens simultaneously.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Orange Cup Coral is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites