Dendrogyra cylindrus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Dendrogyra cylindrus faces severe population decline primarily due to stony coral tissue loss disease, which has devastated Caribbean coral reefs since 2014. Ocean warming and acidification compound these pressures by weakening coral resilience and reducing calcification rates. Coastal development and sedimentation further degrade the shallow reef habitats this species requires, while hurricanes can cause catastrophic physical damage to remaining colonies.
Habitat
Dendrogyra cylindrus inhabits shallow coral reef environments throughout the Caribbean, typically found at depths of 1-20 meters on reef slopes, patch reefs, and back-reef areas. This pillar coral forms distinctive cylindrical columns that can reach several meters in height, creating important three-dimensional habitat structure in Caribbean reef ecosystems.
