Ocellated Brain Coral

Cyphastrea ocellina is a colonial stony coral in the family Merulinidae, forming encrusting to massive colonies composed of small, closely spaced polyps that give the surface a finely dotted, pockmarked appearance. Like other scleractinian corals, it relies on symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) for the majority of its energy needs while also capturing plankton at night with its tentacles. Its calcium carbonate skeleton contributes to the physical structure of reef systems, providing habitat complexity that supports diverse marine communities and offers coastal protection by dissipating wave energy.

The species occurs across parts of the Indo-Pacific and western Pacific, with recorded presence in the United States, Japan, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as more peripheral records including U.S. Outlying Islands and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands. It inhabits shallow marine reef environments, typically in clear, warm tropical waters.

The species is classified as Vulnerable, with an unknown population trend. Ongoing threats include rising sea temperatures that trigger coral bleaching, ocean acidification that impairs skeletal calcification, sedimentation and habitat degradation from coastal development, destructive fishing methods that physically damage reef structure, and pollution runoff from agricultural and urban sources that degrades water quality.

Conservation efforts for reef-building corals in this region generally include marine protected area designations, water quality monitoring and regulation, restrictions on destructive fishing gear, and coral restoration research including propagation and outplanting trials. No population recovery programs specific to this species have been documented.

Given the compounding and largely unresolved nature of climate-related and local stressors, the species' outlook remains uncertain, with continued vulnerability expected absent substantial reductions in ocean warming and coastal pollution pressures.

Ocellated Brain Coral inhabits shallow tropical coral reefs and lagoons in the Indo-Pacific, typically found at depths of 1-20 meters on reef flats and slopes. The species prefers areas with moderate water flow and clear, warm waters with stable salinity levels.