Coral evolution

Corals evolve. In fact, we have found that the common ‘cauliflower’ coral (Pocillopora spp.) at Moorea has evolved into multiple, genetically-distinct species, even though all the corals look the same and live together. You could be looking at two corals that look the same, but they are in fact different species.

Some species prefer to live in the shallow lagoon, other species prefer to live deeper on the fore reef. Some species are more susceptible to climate change than others. We have even discovered a new species of coral and named it after the Tahitian word 'tuahine’ - Pocillopora tuahiniensis. Corals will evolve in response to climate change, but I would not rely on evolution to save corals from climate change.

The new species (P. tuahiniensis) (photograph taken at 20m depth on forereef east side of island in 2021)