scubaseason

Mushroom Coral

Fungia scutaria

Sighting evidence at Isle of Pines, New Caledonia

Free-living mushroom corals are scattered across the lagoon floor around the Isle of Pines, mobile individuals able to right themselves if overturned and move short distances by inflating their tissue — a unique mobility among hard corals. They have exceptionally high bleaching tolerance and recover rapidly from disturbance, making them a resilience indicator for the reef and an important recruiter of new coral cover after disturbance events.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Mushroom 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.