Sealife guideThe bladed fire coralMillepora complanata
Last updated on 10/28/2025 at 11:51 PM
Taxonomy
English names
Bladed fire coral
French namesCorail de feu à lames
Spanish namesCoral de fuego aplanadoCoral de fuego aplastado
Scientific nameMillepora complanata (Lamarck, 1816)
Description
The bladed fire coral forms a colony made up of thin vertical plates or blades that develop from an encrusting base. Its color ranges from bronze to yellow-orange or brown, while the outer edge displays a distinctive whitish tint.
The bladed fire coral (Millepora complanata)
Geographic range
The bladed fire coral is found in the warm waters of the Caribbean sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic, along the coasts of
Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic),
Puerto Rico, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Belize.
Habitat
The bladed fire coral thrives in well-lit shallow areas of reefs, where it can grow on rocks and hard substrates.
Did you know ?
The bladed fire coral is listed as many other marine species within The
IUCN Red List of threatened species. The bladed fire coral appears in the
IUCN Red List since 2022 within the category Critically Endangered !
Tips for observing
Be careful not to touch or get too close to the bladed fire coral, as it has stinging cells that can cause painful skin irritation in divers.
Discover also
The marine species in the Caribbean
Dive centers
'Les Ilets' dive center
Noa dive center
