Types of Coral: Hard, Soft, and Others

Types of Coral: Hard, Soft, and Others

Hard Corals

• Scleractinia: Most common; build most reefs; calcium carbonate skeleton.
• Heliopora (Blue Coral): Deep water; calcium carbonate skeleton.
• Millepora (Fire Coral): Shallow water; calcium carbonate skeleton.

Soft Corals

• Alcyonacea (Soft Corals): Deep/shallow; protein skeleton.
• Gorgonacea (Sea Fans): Deep/shallow; protein skeleton.
• Pennatulacea (Sea Pens): Deep/shallow; protein skeleton.

Other Coral-Like Organisms

• Hydrocorals: Not true corals; related to jellyfish; calcium carbonate skeleton.
• Stylasteridae: Not true corals; related to sea anemones; calcium carbonate skeleton.