Species · GBIF taxon 2260503
Lettuce Coral
Agaricia agaricitesAlso known as Tan Lettuce-leaf Coral, Common Lettuce Coral, Leaf Coral
Lettuce corals form complex, leaf-like colonies that resemble heads of romaine lettuce, providing critical three-dimensional habitat for small reef fish and invertebrates. They adapt their growth form based on depth, growing as upright plates in shallow water to maximize sunlight capture, and shifting to flat, encrusting sheets in deeper zones. These colonies rely on a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic zooxanthellae to survive in nutrient-poor tropical waters.
MarineReef-buildingSymbiotic
Licensed referenceno rights reserved, uploaded by Jean-Paul Boerekamps · cc0
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VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Plankton
- Dissolved organic matter
Predators
- Parrotfish
- Crown-of-thorns Starfish
- Bearded Fireworm
ThreatsOcean warming, coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and coastal pollution
HabitatsShallow tropical coral reefs, lagoons, and fore-reef slopes
Life spanDecades to centuries
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAgariciidae
- SpeciesAgaricia agaricites
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance; do not touch to avoid damaging the delicate polyps.
- What to notice
- Look for tan, green, or brown leaf-like plates with fine, concentric ridges growing on shallow Caribbean reefs.
- Support conservation
- Never touch, step on, or anchor boats near these fragile colonies to prevent breaking their skeletons.
Responsible observation
- Maintain buoyancy: Keep a safe distance while diving or snorkeling to avoid accidental contact.
- Look for residents: Search the folds of the plates to spot tiny crabs, shrimp, and gobies.
- Observe the color: Note the tan, green, or brown hues, which indicate healthy symbiotic algae.
Frequent Companion (c) mtracewell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by mtracewell · cc-by
Predator Adona9 at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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