Illustration of staghorn coral
staghorn coral
noun
stag·horn coral
ˈstag-ˌhȯrn- 
: any of several large branching corals (genus Acropora, especially A. cervicornis) that somewhat resemble antlers
Examples of staghorn coral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, thanks to the efforts of Fragments of Hope, other community partners and the government of Belize, the caye is surrounded by abundant staghorn coral and serves as an example of the power of local conservation.
—
Katharine Hayhoe, Scientific American, 14 July 2023
Hung on a tree structure, the staghorn coral shown here will have a better chance of surviving and being transplanted back onto a reef.
—Discover Staff, Discover Magazine, 29 July 2015
According to research published by the University of Florida, climate change, human stressors and stony coral tissue loss disease have greatly reduced the staghorn coral’s presence in southeast Florida.
—Olivia Lloyd, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2022
Jupiter — Just 150 fragments of staghorn coral planted off Florida’s shore might give new hope to the state’s endangered reefs.
—Olivia Lloyd, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2022
Year after year, the staghorn coral will grow and be trimmed and out-planted on the reef.
—Ross Kenneth Urken, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2022
Acropora is a genus of common stony corals comprising table coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral, along with others.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
Like all living museums in the sea, the Kidd shipwreck protects biological resources — most notably, relatively large populations of elkhorn and staghorn coral — as well as archaeological resources.
—Michael Bawaya, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2015
The species most likely to bleach and die are staghorn coral and other root and branch corals with spaces that allow many kinds of fish to swim and gain protection.
—Damien Cave, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2020
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Katharine Hayhoe, Scientific American, 14 July 2023
Hung on a tree structure, the staghorn coral shown here will have a better chance of surviving and being transplanted back onto a reef.
—Discover Staff, Discover Magazine, 29 July 2015
According to research published by the University of Florida, climate change, human stressors and stony coral tissue loss disease have greatly reduced the staghorn coral’s presence in southeast Florida.
—Olivia Lloyd, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2022
Jupiter — Just 150 fragments of staghorn coral planted off Florida’s shore might give new hope to the state’s endangered reefs.
—Olivia Lloyd, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2022
Year after year, the staghorn coral will grow and be trimmed and out-planted on the reef.
—Ross Kenneth Urken, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2022
Acropora is a genus of common stony corals comprising table coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral, along with others.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
Like all living museums in the sea, the Kidd shipwreck protects biological resources — most notably, relatively large populations of elkhorn and staghorn coral — as well as archaeological resources.
—Michael Bawaya, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2015
The species most likely to bleach and die are staghorn coral and other root and branch corals with spaces that allow many kinds of fish to swim and gain protection.
—Damien Cave, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'staghorn coral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1884, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near staghorn coral
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“Staghorn coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staghorn%20coral. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about staghorn coral
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