Mountainous Star Coral

Mountainous star coral, along with boulder star coral and lobed star coral, make up the star coral species complex. The species complex was considered a single species with growth forms ranging from columns, to massive boulders, to plates but was split into three separate species in the early 1990s. The three species were differentiated on the basis of growth form, depth range, ecology, and behavior. 

The species complex was historically one of the primary builders of reef framework in the Caribbean. It was once dominant on Caribbean coral reefs, characterizing the so-called “buttress zone.” However, it began to dramatically decline in the 1990s and 2000s. The greatest threats to mountainous star coral are disease and ocean warming, which causes the corals to release the algae that live in their tissue and provide them food, usually causing death. Other threats to mountainous star coral are ocean acidification (decrease in water pH caused by increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) that makes it harder for them to build their skeleton, unsustainable fishing practices that deplete the herbivores (animals that feed on plants) that keep the reef clean, and land-based sources of pollution that impacts the clear, low nutrient waters in which they thrive.

Mountainous star coral is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting mountainous star coral. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.