By NICOLE HELGASON From Reef divers

Agaricia humilis

Agaricia corals are common throughout the Caribbean which forms leaf or plate like structures. This coral has small polyps which are most often retracted into the coral, and corallites and ridges run parallel to the edge of the colony.

Agaricia humilis tends to break the rules and forms irregular ridges and corallite valleys that can create intricate patterns on the corals surface. The valleys can be 2-3 millimeters deep and usually contain between 1-5 corallite per valley.

Low Relief Lettuce Coral

Colonies form into small domes with thin plating edges. The common name for this coral is the low relief lettuce coral. Colonies are almost always yellow and the polyps and center of the ridges at the same color at the colonies surface.

The interesting thing to look out for when searching for this coral is the different patterns created by coral ridges. Colonies will be small between 10-20cm in diameter.

You can find this coral from 2m (6 feet) down to 20 meters (65 feet).

IMAGES: reef divers

For more on this story go to: https://reefdivers.io/caribbean-coral-diaries-agaricia-humilis/4068