Cladocora caespitosa

Overview

Cladocora caespitosa is a living coral made of closely packed small tubular corallites. From a distance it looks like a single rounded mass, but close up, a gathering of small tubes becomes apparent.^[1]

Key facts

Small coral individuals gather within one mass. Each tube is the skeleton of a coral individual, and slender, long tentacles may extend from its end. Alternating views of the colony and individual is intriguing.^[1][3]

Time and place

The appearance of living colonies observed in the Mediterranean is described. Meanwhile, a 2019 study addressed fossils of this species from raised marine terraces on the Livorno coast of Tuscany in central Italy. Material from two terraces, Terrazzo di Livorno and Terrazzo della Fattoria Pianacce, offers a view of corals in past seas.^[1][2][3][4]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

Tubular skeletons of coral individuals form a dense colony. Species descriptions also mention cream or brown coloration and brown tentacles. Septa and central structures inside the skeleton are additional features for comparing form.^[1]

One small tubular coral skeleton is about 4–5mm in diameter. These skeletons gather to form a larger colony.^[5]

In one survey on Formentera Island, colony diameter averaged about 10cm. This is the width of the entire colony formed by small individuals growing together.^[6]

Habitat and reproduction

An account identifying the species describes polyps extending long, slender tentacles during the day. Living coral individuals can be seen continuing above the hard tubular skeletons. The broad colony outline and small polyp structures together form the coral’s body.^[3]

Fossil discovery

The species description in the coral guide explains small tubes and colony construction. The skeletal and polyp accounts in the World Register of Marine Species show different parts. They provide research material for comparing the living appearance with the remaining skeleton.^[1][2][3]

References

1. Corals of the World — Colonies of Cladocora caespitosa
2. World Register of Marine Species — Description of the Cladocora skeleton
3. Corals of the World — Cladocora caespitosa colony photo caption
4. Zanchetta et al.(2019). Stable isotope composition of fossil ahermatypic coral Cladocora caespitosa (L.) from Pleistocene raised marine terraces of the Livorno area (Central Italy). Alpine and Mediterranean Quaternary32(1):73–86.
5. Corals of the World — Cladocora caespitosa
6. Kersting et al. (2017) — Survey of coral colonies at Formentera
7. Kues·Lucas (2001) — Coelosmilia of the Tucumcari Formation

Research questions

What differences can the colony’s small tubes reveal? Their packing, internal septa, and central regions can be compared separately. Even corals that look similar from a distance reveal distinguishing features when their small skeletal structures are examined.^[1]

Observation

After looking at the rounded colony outline, move your gaze to the end of one small tube. Imagining the slender tentacles and structures within the tube connects the large colony to the small individual.^[1][3]