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Identification of stony corals, Order Scleractinia

Scleractinian corals are commonly traded as both live and dead specimens and are usually the major component of coral products such as coral rock (1, 2).
This order contains a large number of species, some of which are very difficult to identify to species level. Most stony corals must be identified to at least genus level on CITES permits, although it is desirable to identify it to species level where possible (3). A list of these genera can be found in the Notification to the Parties No. 2002/072 (http://www.cites.org/eng/notifs/2002/072.shtml).

The stony corals included in this guide are:

Anchor, grape and frogspawn corals	Genus Euphyllia
Cauliflower corals	Genus Pocillopora
Elegance coral	Genus Catalaphyllia
Finger, boulder & jewel corals	Genus Porites
Flowerpot corals	Genus Goniopora
Fox coral	Genus Nemenzophyllia
Mushroom corals	Genus Heliofungia
Mushroom corals	Genus Fungia
Needle corals	Genus Seriatopora
Staghorn corals	Genus Acropora

References

1) Green, E., and Shirley, F. (1999) The global trade in coral. World Conservation Monitoring Centre. World Conservation Press, Cambridge, UK.

2) Bruckner, A., (1998). Guide to Indo-Pacific Corals in International Trade. Available online (April 2002)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/PR/coralidmanualfront.html

3) CITES Notification to the Parties No. 2002/072. Trade in stony corals. (February 2003)
http://www.cites.org/eng/notifs/2002/072.shtml