Category
Hard corals, branching colonies, and sea-fan communities that define local snorkeling habitat quality.
Elkhorn Coral
Acropora palmata
A foundational Caribbean reef-builder with branching architecture that supports fish recruitment and shelter. Its conservation status makes it a key species for reef health discussions.
Staghorn Coral
Acropora cervicornis
Another branching reef-builder functionally important for habitat complexity and juvenile fish shelter. Monitoring these branching corals helps track reef resilience trends.
Brain Coral
Platygyra daedalea
Massive coral forms with maze-like ridges, often among the most photogenic fixed structures for beginner snorkelers. Useful reference species for reef substrate condition.
Sea Fan
Gorgonia spp.
Gorgonian fan structures create vertical habitat in moderate-current reef settings. While not hard corals, they are central to reef-scape complexity and visual identity in many Caribbean sites.