Diet

• Pocillopora species obtain nutrition through a combination of photosynthesis by symbiotic dinoflagellates (family Symbiodiniaceae) and capture of suspended food particles.

• The coral polyps use their tentacles to capture zooplankton, small planktonic organisms and organic particles from the surrounding water.

• Photosynthetic symbionts transfer carbon compounds to the coral, providing an important source of energy.

• The relative importance of photosynthesis and particulate feeding varies with species, environmental conditions and the availability of food.

Range

• Pocillopora is a widespread coral genus occurring throughout tropical and subtropical oceans, particularly in the Indo-Pacific and eastern tropical Pacific.

• The genus is particularly important on the Pacific coast of Mexico, where Pocillopora forms much of the living coral cover on many reefs.

• Several species occur in Guerrero, and Pocillopora is one of the principal coral genera forming the reefs in the Zihua region.

Habitat

• Pocillopora species are primarily found in shallow tropical and subtropical marine habitats, particularly on rocky reefs, coral reefs and other hard substrates.

• In the eastern tropical Pacific, colonies are especially common in shallow water, with substantial populations occurring from approximately 1–18 m depth.

• Colonies occur in both exposed reef environments and more protected bays and fringing reefs.

• Branching forms can become thicker and more compact in areas exposed to strong wave action, while colonies in sheltered conditions may develop more open and delicate branches.

• Pocillopora is an important reef-building genus in the eastern tropical Pacific, where its branching colonies contribute substantially to reef structure and provide shelter and attachment surfaces for numerous other organisms.

Description

• Pocillopora species are colonial stony corals that generally form branching, bushy or compact colonies.

• The branches are composed of calcium-carbonate skeleton and are covered by living coral tissue containing numerous small polyps.

• The colony surface is characteristically uneven, with numerous wart-like skeletal projections called verrucae surrounding the polyps.

• Colony form varies considerably among species and can also change in response to environmental conditions, making some species difficult to distinguish by appearance alone.

• Branches may be thick and closely packed in wave-exposed habitats or thinner and more widely separated in protected locations.

• Colour varies from brown, greenish brown and grey to pink, purple and other shades, largely influenced by the coral's symbiotic algae and environmental conditions.