Plate Coral Reef (Biotic Group)

Component: Biotic

Unique Identifier: 497

Biotic Setting	Benthic/Attached Biota
Biotic Class	Reef Biota
Biotic Subclass	Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Biota
Biotic Group	Plate Coral Reef
Biotic Community	Plate Agaricia Reef Plate Leptoseris Reef Plate Montastraea Reef

Description

Definition

Reefs dominated by plate corals that grow in a flattened plate, saucer-like, or thin sheet fashion—often in a terraced pattern. Plate corals (also known as laminar, leaf, or sheet corals) usually have thin, disc-shaped colonies with corallites growing only on one side. See Figure 8.6 for an example of a plate coral growth form.