Related FAQs: Faviids, Faviids 2, Faviids 3, Faviid Identification, Faviid Behavior, Faviid Compatibility, Faviid Selection, Faviid Systems, Faviid Feeding, Faviid Disease, Faviid Disease 2, Faviid Disease 3, Faviid Disease 4, Faviid Disease 5, & Faviid Reproduction/Propagation, Stony/True Coral, Coral System Set-Up, Coral System Lighting, Stony Coral Identification, Stony Coral Selection, Coral Placement, Foods/Feeding/Nutrition, Disease/Health, Propagation, Growing Reef Corals, Stony Coral Behavior, Related Articles: Large Polyp Stony Corals,  Stony or True Corals, Order Scleractinia, Dyed Corals,  /The Best Livestock For Your Reef Aquarium: "Honeycomb", Brain Corals, More and Less, Family Faviidae, pt. 8 To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7,

Montastrea curta (Dana 1846), Colonies may be spherical, columnar or flattened. Corallites appear circular and are widely spaced or closely compacted. Width of calices varies greatly, this variation mostly occurring between, rather than within, colonies. Long and short septa alternate. Small paliform lobes are usually developed. (AIMS). Fr. Polynesia 2018

Montastrea faveolata Mountainous Star Coral. In mounds or large sheets, with bumpy appearance, with corallites more or less arranged in vertical rows. Belize image.

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Genus Oulophyllia. Convex or hemispherical colonies of meandering valleys with corallites arranged in short, discontinuous valleys (wider than Platygyra; 10-20mm wide; thin, lamellar in Leptoria). /WA Corals:  massive or thick encrusting plates • corallites monocentric or in rows (meandroid) • large deep valleys >2cm wide • large septal teeth • distinctive colonies
This genus placed in the family Merulinidae by some. See it there.

Genus Pleasiastrea (Lamarck 1816):  colonies massive or encrusting usually cryptic • corallites small (<1cm), round and exsert • distinct paliform lobe • extratentacular budding • very common on temperate reefs
Some authorities debate the family placement of this genus; putting it in the family Pleasiatreidae per Dai & Horng, 2009. 

Genus Platygyra Ehrenberg 1834. Brain Corals. Massive colonies that are either flat or rough boulder-like. Centers of corallites (columellae) are sponge-like. If you look closely you can see rows of mouths along the valleys. Coelastrea is a synonym for Platygyra according to COTW. /WA Corals: massive, encrusting • corallites are ceroid • septa have fine teeth • obvious paliform lobes • budding intratentacular
This genus placed in the family Merulinidae by some. See it there.

Genus Pseudodiploria: Previously included in the genus Diploria

Pseudodiploria clivosa Knobby Brain Coral. Hemispheres with knobby projections.

Pseudodiploria strigosa Symmetrical Brain Coral. Large boulders and contoured plates, long convoluted channels, with curving valleys that get straighter near the edge. Usually smooth ridge tops (no lines, grooves), or very fine. Green/brown, yellow-brown to bluish. Roatan 2019.

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Genus Solanastrea:

Solanastrea bournoni (Milne Edwards and Haime 1850). Smooth Star Coral. Smooth domes, encrusting with small bumps; corallites extruding give the surface a blistered appearance. Cozumel 2011.

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Mixed Color Faviids:

Faviids do occur in mixes of colors within one colony. Here's a colony at House of Fins in 2013.

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Coral Search

Borneman, Eric H. 2001. Aquarium Corals; Selection, Husbandry and Natural History. Microcosm-TFH NJ, USA. 464 pp.

Fossa, Svein A. & Alf Jacob Nilsen. 1998 (1st ed.). The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium, v.2 (Cnidarians). Bergit Schmettkamp Verlag, Bornheim, Germany. 479pp.

Gutierrez, Santiago. 1990. From a reef's point of view. Montastrea annularis and cavernosa. FAMA 9/90.

Hoover, John. 1998. Hawai'i's Sea Creatures. A Guide to Hawai'i's Marine Invertebrates. Mutual Publishing, Honolulu HI. 366pp. 

Humann, Paul. 1993. Reef Coral Identification; Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc. Jacksonville, FL.  239pp.

Veron, J.E.N. 1986. Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific. U. of HI press, Honolulu. 644 pp. 

Veron, J.E.N. 2000. Corals of the World. Australian Institute of Marine Science. Queensland, Australia. three volumes. 

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