Corals That Are Candidates for Listing Under the ESA

Video: Protecting Coral Reefs Credit: NOAA, Coral Reef Task Force, and National Park Service

More Information · Threatened Corals: Elkhorn and Staghorn · Other Candidates for ESA-Listing · Federal Register Notice of 90-Day Finding on a Petition to List 83 Species of Corals under the ESA (75 FR 6616)

Status Review Report

In April 2012, NMFS completed a status review report and draft Management Report of the candidate species of corals. You may comment on the documents through July 31, 2012.

Background

In response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity [pdf] to list under the ESA and designate critical habitat for these species, NMFS reviewed the status of the following 82 "candidate species" of corals (all petitioned species except for the Large Ivory Coral, Oculina varicosa):

1. Acanthastrea brevis
2. Acanthastrea hemprichii
3. Acanthastrea ishigakiensis
4. Acanthastrea regularis
5. Acropora aculeus
6. Acropora acuminate
7. Acropora aspera
8. Acropora dendrum
9. Acropora donei
10. Acropora globiceps
11. Acropora horrida
12. Acropora jacquelineae
13. Acropora listeri
14. Acropora lokani
15. Acropora microclados
16. Acropora palmerae
17. Acropora paniculata - Fuzzy Table Coral
18. Acropora pharaonis
19. Acropora polystoma
20. Acropora retusa
21. Acropora rudis
22. Acropora speciosa
23. Acropora striata
24. Acropora tenella
25. Acropora vaughani
26. Acropora verweyi
27. Agaricia lamarcki - Lamarck's Sheet Coral
28. Alveopora allingi
29. Alveopora fenestrate
30. Alveopora verrilliana
31. Anacropora puertogalerae
32. Anacropora spinosa
33. Astreopora cucullata
34. Barabattoia laddi
35. Caulastrea echinulata
36. Cyphastrea agassizi - Agassiz's Coral
37. Cyphastrea ocellina - Ocellated Coral
38. Dendrogyra cylindrus
39. Dichocoenia stokesii - Elliptical Star Coral
40. Euphyllia cristata
41. Euphyllia paraancora
42. Euphyllia paradivisa
43. Galaxea astreata
44. Heliopora coerulea
45. Isopora crateriformis
46. Isopora cuneata
47. Leptoseris incrustans
48. Leptoseris yabei
49. Millepora foveolata
50. Millepora tuberosa
51. Montastraea annularis - Boulder Star Coral
52. Montastraea faveolata - Mountainous Star Coral
53. Montastraea franksi
54. Montipora angulata
55. Montipora australiensis
56. Montipora calcarea
57. Montipora caliculata
58. Montipora dilatata - Hawaiian Reef Coral/Irregular Rice Coral
59. Montipora flabellata - Blue Rice Coral
60. Montipora lobulata
61. Montipora patula - Sandpaper Rice Coral/Spreading Coral/Ringed Rice Coral
62. Mycetophyllia ferox
63. Pachyseris rugosa
64. Pavona bipartite
65. Pavona cactus
66. Pavona decussate
67. Pavona diffluens
68. Pavona venosa
69. Pectinia alcicornis
70. Physogyra lichtensteini
71. Pocillopora danae
72. Pocillopora elegans
73. Porites horizontalata
74. Porites napopora
75. Porites nigrescens
76. Porites pukoensis
77. Psammocora stellata - Stellar Coral
78. Seriatopora aculeata
79. Turbinaria mesenterina
80. Turbinaria peltata
81. Turbinaria reniformis
82. Turbinaria stellula

Petition

The petition asserts that the following threats and other impacts are affecting these corals:

• ocean warming
• ocean acidification
• dredging
• coastal development
• coastal point source pollution
• agricultural and land use practices
• disease
• predation
• reef fishing
• aquarium trade
• physical damage from boats and anchors
• marine debris
• aquatic invasive species

Updated: April 12, 2012