It occurs on reefs in shallow waters in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and southern Florida.

The differences are mostly in the layout of the septa, the miniature ridges in the calcareous calyces in which the polyps sit.

Much of its energy needs are supplied in this way but it also extends its ring of short tentacles to catch plankton, feeding mostly at night.

[3] When these come in contact with another coral they secrete enzymes that in the course of several hours digest its soft tissues.

Smaller corals may be killed by this attack while larger individuals may have the part within reach stripped back to the skeleton.