Sealife guideThe labyrinthine brain coralDiploria labyrinthiformis
Last updated on 05/03/2024 at 12:19 AM
Taxonomy
- Common name: Labyrinthine brain coral, grooved brain coral, depressed brain coral, brain coral
- French name: Corail cerveau de Neptune
- Spanish name: Coral cerebro
- Scientific name: Diploria labyrinthiformis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Family name: Faviidae
- Order name: Scleractinia
- Class name: The anthozoans [Anthozoa]
Description
The labyrinthine brain coral forms colonies that look like large balls, ranging in size from a few centimeters in diameter to almost 2 meters for the largest. The labyrinthine brain coral has a succession of hills and valleys on its surface, giving it the appearance of a brain !

The labyrinthine brain coral forms colonies that look like large balls
Its distinctive double-crested hills are separated by a shallow gorge of varying width.
Did you know ?
The labyrinthine brain coral is listed as many other marine species within The
IUCN Red List of threatened species. The labyrinthine brain coral appears in the
IUCN Red List since 2022 within the category Critically Endangered !

The labyrinthine brain coral is distinguished by its double-peaked hills separated by a gorge
Discover also

Bladed fire coral
(Millepora complanata)

Common sea fan
(Gorgonia ventalina)

Cylinder anemone
(Cerianthus membranaceus)

Magnificent sea anemone
(Radianthus magnifica)

Many-ribbed jellyfish
(Aequorea forskalea)

Plumose sea anemone
(Metridium senile)

Portuguese man of war
(Physalia physalis)

Staghorn coral
(Acropora cervicornis)
The marine species from Caribbean sea

Atlantic bigeye
(Priacanthus arenatus)

Chocolate chip sea cucumber
(Isostichopus badionotus)

Queen parrotfish
(Scarus vetula)

Queen triggerfish
(Balistes vetula)

Scrawled filefish
(Aluterus scriptus)

Slender filefish
(Monacanthus tuckeri)

Smooth trunkfish
(Rhinesomus triqueter)

West Indian sea egg
(Tripneustes ventricosus)
Dive centers

'Les Ilets' dive center

Noa dive center
Our latestUpdates

Saturday, November 15th 2025
Batz island
Located in the English Channel off the northern coast of Brittany, just a few kilometers from the town of Roscoff, Batz island is a true little haven of peace where you can enjoy its wild landscapes, unspoiled beaches and historical heritage.

Friday, November 7th 2025
The common sea fan
The common sea fan, is a type of soft coral found in the warm, shallow waters of the Caribbean and the western Atlantic ocean. It grows in wide, fan-shaped forms that sway gently with the ocean currents, helping it catch tiny food particles drifting by. Its beautiful purple branches are covered by a thin living tissue that hosts tiny algae, which provide much of the coral's energy through sunlight.

Thursday, October 30th 2025
The leopard blenny
The leopard blenny is a small reef fish from the Indo-Pacific ocean. It is easily recognized by its spotted coloration, which resembles that of a leopard. It lives on shallow coral reefs, feeds mainly on algae and polyps and skillfully camouflages among the corals to avoid predators.
Photo of the Day

Poulpe commun
(Octopus vulgaris)