Fish identification archive / Symmetrical Brain Coral

Symmetrical Brain Coral

Pseudodiploria strigosa

Fun facts for your next surface interval

The account measures its winding valleys in millimeters. [source]
Older identification books call it Diploria strigosa. [source] [source]
It was among the corals in NOAA’s September 2025 spawning observations. [source]

Florida and local context

Brinkhuis and Huebner list Pseudodiploria strigosa among species directly observed during the Grecian Rocks CREMP dive survey on 16 July 2016.

A documented past record does not establish present abundance or guarantee an encounter.

Sources: Local occurrence: Grecian Rocks, Key Largo, Florida

How to recognize this animal

An evenly contoured brain coral with winding valleys, usually without a conspicuous groove across the ridge tops. Gray, greenish and purple-brown colonies occur, and valley floors can contrast with the walls.

Sources: Species biology and identification reference

Size and life stages

The cited description gives valley widths of about 6–9 mm. This is a small skeletal feature, not a colony diameter or a whole-animal size limit.

Sources: Species biology and identification reference

Habitat and where to look

Found across reef habitats, especially shallow slopes and lagoons. An even colony surface is more useful than color alone for a first field comparison.

Sources: Species biology and identification reference

Range and local context

A Florida DEP survey documented this species at Grecian Rocks, Key Largo, on 16 July 2016. Present survival and abundance are not established by that historical record.

Sources: Local occurrence: Grecian Rocks, Key Largo, Florida

What is on the menu?

Coral polyps capture small prey; symbiotic algae also supply nutrition. This general reef-coral context does not establish a local prey list.

Sources: NOAA coral biology; NOAA coral biology

Daily habits and behavior

This is a colonial stony coral, not a single wandering animal. The cited identification account does not establish a species-specific daily activity schedule at the local site.

Sources: NOAA coral biology

Mating and the next generation

NOAA documented spawning work for Pseudodiploria strigosa in September 2025. Treat this as an observed study window rather than a prediction for your dive.

Sources: NOAA 2025 spawning report

Look-alikes and identification traps

Pseudodiploria clivosa tends to have a more irregular surface and smaller valleys. The deeply grooved ridge tops of Diploria labyrinthiformis are another useful comparison.

Sources: Species biology and identification reference

Observe without disturbing

Keep fins and equipment clear; photograph without touching or disturbing the colony or nearby sediment.

Sources: NOAA responsible diving

Harvest, protection and eating safety

Protected: no recreational take

Verified coral harvest prohibition, not a seasonal closure. Special scientific permits are not recreational permission.

This color is a qualified summary, not permission to collect or a guarantee that a particular animal is safe to eat.

Can it be hunted or harvested?

This species is a stony coral (Scleractinia), for which FWC prohibits harvest. Leave the colony and fragments in place; do not collect, damage or remove.

Florida seasons and areas

No recreational open season. Florida coral prohibitions apply to state and adjacent federal harvest; sanctuary and park protections also apply. Check mapped boundaries before any take. Blue Heron Bridge prohibits marine-life collection within the designated dive-site area, not all county fishing. Biscayne prohibits ornamental collection without a superintendent permit and has a mapped March 1–May 31 fishing/possession closure, effective March 2026, with properly stowed continuous transit excepted. Pennekamp prohibits tropical-fish collection and spearfishing. Key Largo Management Area prohibits taking tropical fish and marine invertebrates; the latter exceptions are commercial spiny-lobster/stone-crab trapping and recreational spiny-lobster hand/hand-gear take under applicable rules, not recreational crab collection. It separately prohibits spearfishing. Sanctuary Preservation Areas prohibit fishing and collection subject only to expressly stated exceptions. These are site restrictions, not a corridor-wide fishing ban.

Can it be speared?

Do not spear, damage or remove this coral. Protected-site rules provide additional restrictions.

Is it safe to eat?

No species/site-specific food-safety clearance or meal frequency was established. Legal harvest does not mean safe to eat; some marine toxins survive cooking and freezing. Consult current Florida Health guidance and local advisories. No dated, species-matched local menu evidence was verified; recipes remain disabled.

This species is a stony coral (Scleractinia), for which FWC prohibits harvest.

This review covers the Vero Beach–Key Largo Atlantic corridor: Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Florida Atlantic state waters and South Atlantic federal waters are distinct jurisdictions. Do not extend a state-water season tag to federal waters or transfer Atlantic rules to Gulf-side Keys waters. Park and sanctuary boundaries can override a species allowance.

Before you act: Confirm the species, date, exact management area, state or federal waters, gear, licenses and current local closures. A local occurrence record never grants permission to take an animal.

Official rules and health guidance

Reviewed 2026-11-11. Rules and advisories can change; check the linked authorities before acting.

Identification and source cautions

A historical record does not establish current colony survival or abundance.
Color and growth form can vary; illustrative field clues are not a complete taxonomic key.
Colony width, height and reproductive size are not interchangeable with fish-style body length.
Legal and image review remain separate publication gates.
Corals of the World retains the historical combination Diploria strigosa; accepted identity and duplicate control follow the reserved WoRMS Pseudodiploria strigosa record.

Sources and review

Biology and taxonomy reviewed 2026-11-11. Photographs on cited sites are reference material and are not reproduced here.

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