Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis)
Beds of staghorn coral (Acropora Sp) undulate across the sea floor at Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific, some 1,600 miles southwest of Honolulu. (Jim Maragos/USFWS).
- Creator
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters
- License
- Public domain
Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis)
Status: needs expert review. Conservation claims cite IUCN and CITES; a science reviewer should confirm the assessment and figures before approval. Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) is a fast-growing, branching reef-builder and one of the most important reef corals in the Caribbean.
At a glance
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Acropora cervicornis | WoRMS / authority |
| Guild | reefs (reef-building coral) | — |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered (listed 2022) | IUCN Red List |
| Population trend | Decreasing — declines of ≥80% over ~30 years (over 95% in some areas) | IUCN / literature |
| International trade | CITES Appendix II (Acropora spp.) | CITES |
| Range | Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, western Atlantic | IUCN Red List |
Identification
A branching, antler-like ("staghorn") coral with cylindrical branches that grow rapidly, forming dense thickets. These thickets build three-dimensional reef structure that shelters fish and invertebrates — making this a habitat-forming keystone species.
Ecology and behavior
Staghorn coral is a colonial animal in symbiosis with photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae); heat stress can break that symbiosis and cause bleaching. Its fast growth historically made it a primary Caribbean reef-builder. Detailed claims should be cited to published research and confirmed in review.
Conservation status and threats
Staghorn coral is Critically Endangered (IUCN). Outbreaks of white-band disease beginning in the late 1970s started multi-decade declines; warming seas, marine heatwaves and bleaching, pollution, and storms have compounded them, with reductions exceeding 95% in some areas. Following the record 2023 marine heatwave it is considered functionally extinct on Florida's Coral Reef. More broadly, the IUCN reported in 2024 that over 40% of reef-building coral species face extinction. This species is the reason a Reef Guardian watches heat stress: the Coral Reef Watch dataset is the early-warning signal for exactly this threat.
How to observe responsibly
This page does not provide approach guidance. Coral is fragile and easily killed by contact. Never touch, stand on, or kick coral; maintain buoyancy; never collect coral (and note CITES restrictions). Follow the reviewed observation guide and local marine-park rules. Reef-restoration sites are sensitive — keep to regional granularity (ETHICS.md).
How you can help
- Log reef condition and coral sightings via recognized programs such as Reef Check or iNaturalist.
- Support coral-restoration and disease-response programs run by credible organizations.
- Reduce heat-stress drivers: the deepest help for coral is climate action.
Sources (3)
Every claim in this artifact traces to one of the citations below. Anything that could not be sourced was left out.
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Image: Jstuby at en.wikipedia / CC0
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