Adopt an Siderastra Radians
"Lesser Starlet" Coral Species
About this coral species:
Siderastrea radians are either encrusting or grow in small, dimpled hummocks up to 30 centimeters (12 in) across but most colonies are much smaller than this. Occasionally it occurs as small calcareous pebbles that roll around in seagrass meadows or as loose flat discs in shallow rocky places. The corallites are not circular but are triangular or four-sided and deep, with 30 to 40 small ridges called septa.
Life on Zoe:
Siderastra radians or Lesser Starlet coral form small colonies. Our only specimen is hidden between two bars of Zoe. You can recognize it from its deep corallite centers and multiple septas (rays) connected between corallites.
Fun fact:
Growth rates of the lesser starlet coral are low but, because of its great tolerance to an increase in sediment levels and to elevated temperatures, it is an important species for maintaining and restoring damaged reefs and useful for this purpose if sea temperatures continue to rise.
The sexes are separate in the lesser starlet coral. Each of the twenty-eight ovaries in a female polyp produces a flattened oval egg. Spawning takes place all through the year but may be related to the phase of the moon. Well-developed planula larvae have been found being brooded inside female polyps shortly before the full moon.
Lesser Starlet Coral Species Symbolic Adoption
You or your gift recipient will receive a certificate of adoption with the name you designate. This certificate will be sent along with the coral image to the email address you provided. You are symbolically adopting one of eleven unique species currently living and being planted on Zoe – A Living Sea Sculpture.
You or your gift recipient receives a print quality image of the adopted coral species on Zoe – A Living Sea Sculpture. This image will be emailed to the email address you provide.
Print your image, share it with friends on social media, or use it as your screensaver… Use your image in ways that spark joy in your world to remind you how you’re helping support the conditions for coral reefs to flourish.
Your Symbolic Coral Adoption
$25
Your $25 coral adoption covers two restoration divers’ tanks and materials to cultivate new, healthy coral colonies.
Please Click "Submit" first, then go to "Pay Now"
About Your Adoption
90% of spending from coral adoptions goes toward paying for tanks, supplies, and on-location activities for the coral restoration team. The remaining 10% goes toward other business and administration fees and expenses. By making your purchase you acknowledge and agree to our Terms of Sale.
We send you a print-quality adoption certificate and photo of your coral by email to reduce our carbon footprint and enable you to decide how you want to use your images.
You have the choice to print, use your image as your screensaver or desktop image, share images of your adoption with family and friends on social media, and other creative ways that are meaningful to you. These images are for your personal use only and may not be reproduced for commercial use. Please see the Terms of Sale for more information.
This is a one-time symbolic adoption of a coral species currently growing on Zoe in Cozumel, Mexico. If you’d like to be a recurring monthly or annual donor at another level, please head over to our Patreon page where our monthly and annual members can sign up to receive private posts and perks from our founder Colleen Flanigan.
Photographs of corals by Zoe biologist Solène Jonveaux with “Zoe research camera” donated by Katie Garrison and Patreon members