WHATSTHATFISH
Corals & anemones

False Pillow Coral

Pseudosiderastrea tayamai

Also known as: Brain Coral, Pillow Coral

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2024
Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · May 20081 / 1
01

Overview

Found attached to bare rocks, over shallow waters of coral and rocky reefs. Colonies encrusting and slightly dome shaped, septa are fan shaped and usually fused in fan-like groups.

Stony corals have hard stony skeletons, their polyps have six tentacles or are made up of multiples of six. These are usually nocturnal, however if the sky's are overcast, then many will feed during the day.
Generally the more robust corals life on exposed areas, while the smaller corals live in sheltered lagoons or deeper waters.
Stony corals are reef building corals and embedded in their flesh are thousands of minute single-celled marine plants called zooxanthellae which accounts for their colour.
These corals support a huge diversity of life, their main predator being the crown-of-thorns sea star.

02

How to identify

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found attached to bare rocks, over shallow waters of coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumCnidaria
    3. classHexacorallia
    4. orderScleractinia
    5. familyRhizangiidae
    6. genusPseudosiderastrea
    7. speciesPseudosiderastrea tayamai Yabe & Sugiyama, 1935

    SourcesWoRMSCorals of the World

    06

    More in the family

    Scleractinia