Montastraea is a genus of colonial stony coral found in the Caribbean seas. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Montastraeidae and contains a single species, Montastraea cavernosa, known as great star coral. It forms into massive boulders and sometimes develops into plates. Its polyps are the size of a human thumb and fully extend at night.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Greater Star Coral being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Diploastrea heliopora
- Astrea curta
- Favites pentagona
- Dichocoenia stokesii
- Plesiastrea peroni
- Palythoa caribaeorum — considered poisonous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Cnidaria
- Class
- Anthozoa
- Order
- Scleractinia
- Family
- Montastraeidae
- Genus
- Montastraea
- Species
- Montastraea cavernosa
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