Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Cladocora caespitosa (Cladocora caespitosa), recorded as Endangered
Cladocora caespitosa (Cladocora caespitosa). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Cladocora caespitosa

Cladocora caespitosa

Cladocora caespitosa is a stony coral of the subclass Hexacorallia.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Cladocora caespitosa
CITES
Appendix II
Taxonomy
Anthozoa · Scleractinia · Cladocoridae · Cladocora

Appearance

The polyps are a clear maroon colour, around 5 mm in diameter and form cushion-shaped colonies, in symbiosis with Zooxanthella algae.

It is the largest stony coral in the Mediterranean, reaching up to 50 cm in diameter. C. Caespitosa has an average generation length of about 30 years.

Range and habitat

This species is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, where it is attested already in the Upper Pliocene. In the marine lagoon of Veliko Jezero, in the marine reserve of Mljet island, Croatia, there is a small coral reef made up of C. Caespitosa. An extensive corallith bed of C. Caespitosa has been found in the Tremiti Islands Marine Protected Area.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Habits

A stony-coral colony is fixed. Growth, bleaching, and death happen in place. Collection and gear damage remove the skeleton as well as the tissue.

The colony stays where it settled. Water quality, light, and a stable bottom decide whether tissue remains on the skeleton.

In crisis

Cladocora caespitosa is classified as endangered under the IUCN red list, mostly based on recent mass die-offs caused by heat wave events in the Mediterranean.

CITES lists this taxon on Appendix II. Confirm the current appendix on the CITES checklist.

Warm-water bleaching, sedimentation, destructive fishing, and the curio trade sit behind many stony-coral badges. That is the group backdrop — confirm the official criteria for this name on the Red List.

Cladocora caespitosa is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Cladocora caespitosa, Wikidata item Q3678817. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

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Quick answers

What is Cladocora caespitosa?
Cladocora caespitosa is a stony coral of the subclass Hexacorallia.
What is the conservation status of Cladocora caespitosa?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Cladocora caespitosa. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Cladocora caespitosa live?
In the marine lagoon of Veliko Jezero, in the marine reserve of Mljet island, Croatia, there is a small coral reef made up of C. Caespitosa.
Why is Cladocora caespitosa in crisis?
Cladocora caespitosa is classified as endangered under the IUCN red list, mostly based on recent mass die-offs caused by heat wave events in the Mediterranean.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Cladocora caespitosa?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Cladocora caespitosa a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.