---
title: "What the sources say about the Staghorn Coral | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "37 claims from the Staghorn Coral profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the Staghorn Coral (*Acropora cervicornis*)

> 37 claims from the Staghorn Coral profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Staghorn Coral](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/staghorn-coral/)

## Staghorn Coral. NOAA Fisheries.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/staghorn-coral

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| can grow up to 8 inches of branch a year | when healthy, it can grow up to 8 inches in branch length per year |
| lost 97 percent of its numbers to one disease | the staghorn coral population declined 97 percent from white band disease |
| Typically clear, shallow reefs 15 to 60 feet deep across the Bahamas, Florida and the Caribbean | found typically in clear, shallow water (15–60 feet) on coral reefs throughout the Bahamas, Florida, and the Caribbean |
| Food from photosynthetic algae inside its cells, plus plankton caught by its polyps' tentacles | get food from photosynthetic algae that live inside the coral's cells. They also feed by capturing plankton with their polyps’ tentacles |
| Grows up to 8 inches of branch a year | it can grow up to 8 inches in branch length per year |
| broken pieces re-attach to start new colonies | Staghorn coral can also form new colonies when broken pieces, called fragments, re-attach to hard surfaces |
| its branches typically stem from a central trunk and angle upward, and are typically 1 to 3 inches thick | typically stem out from a central trunk and angle upward. Branches are typically 1–3 inches thick |
| Colonies are golden tan or pale brown with white tips | Staghorn coral colonies are golden tan or pale brown with white tips |
| a single colony can grow to at least 4 feet tall and 6 feet across | Individual colonies can grow to at least 4 feet in height and 6 feet in diameter |
| Each colony is made of many individual polyps, and each polyp is an exact copy of the others in the same colony | Each staghorn coral colony is made up of many individual polyps that grow together. Each polyp is an exact copy of all the polyps in the same colony |
| The colour comes from algae living inside its tissue | they get their color from the algae that live within their tissue |
| Staghorn coral is one of the fastest growing corals | Staghorn coral is one of the fastest growing corals |
| It reaches reproductive maturity at about 7 inches tall | Staghorn coral reaches reproductive maturity at about 7 inches tall |
| Once a year, after the full moon in late summer, it releases eggs and sperm into the open water, called "broadcast spawning". | sexually reproduces once per year after the full moon in late summer by “broadcast spawning” eggs and sperm into the water column |
| NOAA lists its lifespan as up to hundreds of years | Lifespan Up to hundreds of years (note: Quick Facts box on NOAA page last updated 07/14/2026; colony lifespan) |
| NOAA compares staghorn corals to prairie tumbleweeds: they are often dislodged and tumble to a new place on the reef, where they can re-attach and keep growing. | Staghorn corals resemble tumbleweeds of the prairie in that they are often dislodged and tumble to a new place on the reef where they can re-attach and keep growing |
| You typically find it in clear, shallow water, 15 to 60 feet down, on reefs throughout the Bahamas, Florida and the Caribbean | found typically in clear, shallow water (15–60 feet) on coral reefs throughout the Bahamas, Florida, and the Caribbean |
| Palm Beach County, Florida, is the northern edge of its range | The northern extent of the range in the Atlantic Ocean is Palm Beach County, Florida |
| Photosynthetic algae inside its cells feed it, and its polyps also capture plankton with their tentacles | get food from photosynthetic algae that live inside the coral's cells. They also feed by capturing plankton with their polyps’ tentacles |
| Dense groups called thickets provide important habitat for other reef animals, especially fish | Staghorn coral can form dense groups called “thickets” in very shallow water. These provide important habitat for other reef animals, especially fish |
| Staghorn coral was once so abundant that an entire reef zone is named for it | so abundant that an entire reef zone is named for it |
| Starting in the 1980s, white band disease, which kills the coral's tissue, cut the population by 97 percent | Beginning in the 1980s, the staghorn coral population declined 97 percent from white band disease. This disease kills the coral’s tissues |
| NOAA calls ocean warming the greatest threat: it makes corals release their algae, which usually causes death. | The greatest threat to staghorn coral is ocean warming, which causes the corals to release the algae that live in their tissue and provide them food, usually causing death |
| NOAA says a colony can reach at least 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) tall and 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) across, with branches typically 1 to 3 inches thick. | Branches are typically 1–3 inches thick. Individual colonies can grow to at least 4 feet in height and 6 feet in diameter (note: metric conversions added) |
| NOAA classifies it in the animal kingdom, phylum Cnidaria | Kingdom Animalia Phylum Cnidaria |
| The photosynthesis is done by algae that live inside the coral's cells and feed it. | get food from photosynthetic algae that live inside the coral's cells |
| A severe disease event in the early 1980s caused major deaths across its range, and NOAA puts the population at less than 3 percent of its former size. | In the early 1980s, a severe disease event caused major mortality throughout its range and now the population is less than 3 percent of its former abundance |
| It is hard to bounce back, because successful reproduction is very rare. | Successful reproduction is very rare, so it is hard for staghorn coral populations to increase (note: paraphrase: source's 'so' reversed into 'because') |
| when healthy, it can add up to 8 inches of branch length a year | when healthy, it can grow up to 8 inches in branch length per year |
| It gets food in two ways. | get food from photosynthetic algae that live inside the coral's cells. They also feed by capturing plankton with their polyps’ tentacles |
| NOAA's species page lists it as Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act and as CITES Appendix II. | Protected Status ESA Threatened Throughout Its Range CITES Appendix II Throughout Its Range (note: NOAA page last updated 07/14/2026) |
| NOAA has also designated four critical areas for it, off Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. | NOAA Fisheries has designated four critical areas determined to provide critical recruitment habitat for staghorn corals off the coast of Florida and off the islands of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Each colony makes both eggs and sperm, but usually does not fertilize itself. | each colony produces both eggs and sperm, but usually does not self-fertilize |
| Staghorn coral is often dislodged: the pieces tumble to a new place on the reef, re-attach and keep growing. | Staghorn corals resemble tumbleweeds of the prairie in that they are often dislodged and tumble to a new place on the reef where they can re-attach and keep growing (note: vibe.reason; reuses the body claim) |

## Crabbe et al. (2022). Acropora cervicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T133381A165860142.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2022-2.rlts.t133381a165860142.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Critically Endangered | Critically Endangered (CR) (note: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF copy of the Red List, taxon 133381) |
| Now it is rated Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. | Critically Endangered (CR) |

## Vollmer & Kline (2008). Natural Disease Resistance in Threatened Staghorn Corals. PLoS ONE.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0003718

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Some can. In a field study, 3 of 49 genotypes, six percent, resisted white band disease. | six percent of staghorn coral genotypes (3 out of 49) are resistant to WBD |