Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis & Solander, 1786)

coral pétreo, coral coliflor, Stony coral, cauliflower coral

Colonies composed of upright branches that are thicker and more compact in areas with stronger currents, and thinner and more open in sheltered habitats.

Found in most shallow water habitats.

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Cnidaria

Class
Anthozoa

Order
Scleractinia

Family
Pocilloporidae

Genus
Pocillopora

Species
verrucosa

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Pocillopora danae Verrill, 1864, Pocillopora hemprichi Ehrenberg, 1834

Origin: Native

Status

IUCN Red List Category: Not evaluated

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Widespread across the Indo-Pacific, uncommon along mainland Ecuador and presence in Galapagos needs confirmation.

References

  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • Hickman, C.P. Jr. (2008) A field guide to corals and other radiates of Galápagos. Sugar Spring Press, Lexington, Virginia, 162 pp.
  • Wells, J.W. (1983) Annotated list of the scleractinian corals of the Galápagos. In: Glynn, P.W. & Wellington, G.M.: Corals and coral reefs of the Galápagos Islands. University of California Press, Berkley, Los Angeles, London, 213-291 p.
  • Hickman, C.P. Jr. Chiriboga, A., Ober, W.C. (2005) A field guide to corals of Galápagos. Sugar Spring Press, Lexington, Virginia, 54 pp.
  • Durham, W.J. (1962) Corals from the Galapagos and Cocos Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 32 (2): 41-56.
  • Hickman, C.P. Jr. (2009) Evolutionary Responses of Marine Invertebrates to Insular Isolation in Galapagos. Journal of Science and Conservation in the Galapagos Islands, p. 32-42.
  • Banks, S. Vera, M. & Chiriboga, A. (2009) Establishing Reference Points to Assess Long-Term Change in Zooxanthellate Coral Communities of the Northern Galapagos Coral Reefs. J. Sci. Conserv. in the Galapagos Islands, p. 43-64.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Pocillopora verrucosa", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7907. Accessed 27 May 2025.