scubaseason

Cup Coral

Tubastraea coccinea

Sighting evidence at The Crevice, Guam, Mariana Islands (Guam & Saipan)

Cup Coral

Photo: David R · CC BY-NC

Orange cup corals carpet every square centimetre of the Crevice's shaded walls, their polyps extending at night into brilliant orange stars that transform the interior from a quiet gold encrustation by day into a luminescent orange gallery after dark. Unlike photosynthetic corals, cup corals are entirely carnivorous and their density here reflects the particle-laden current that pulses through the slot on tidal cycles.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

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