Orange Cup Coral
Balanophyllia elegans
Marine Invertebrates
Rocky subtidal habitat
iNaturalist record: Aug 2023
Meet this species
Orange cup coral is a solitary stony coral of the northeastern Pacific. Unlike reef-building tropical corals, each individual lives as a single cup-shaped polyp attached to hard substrate. Finding one beneath the cold waters around Greene Point is a wonderful example of how local marine life can challenge expectations.
Bright orange cup coral attached to rocky subtidal habitat near Greene Point.
What to look for:
Look for a small bright orange cup attached directly to rock. When expanded, short translucent or orange tentacles surround the central mouth. Despite its tropical-looking appearance, this is a cold-water stony coral.
Why It Matters Here:
This species creates an immediate "I had no idea that lived here" moment. It helps communicate that cold-water coastal ecosystems contain organisms and ecological forms that many people incorrectly associate only with tropical seas.
Field Record
Documented at Greene Point through field observations and photographs recorded on iNaturalist.