4. Agaricia fragilis

Agaricia fragilis is very different from Agaricia agaricites both morphologically and in its distribution. The colony is saucer shaped, or has the form of a fixed disc with a small central base. The calices have diameters between 1.6 and 1.8 mm, with an average of 16 septa, and the columella is always present and visible. This species lives in shaded zones at temperatures between 20 and 25ºC, and in sub reef zones deeper than 30 m. The shaded zone colony, in shallow waters, is compact and dense, and may attain a diameter of 30 cm. The deep water colony is smaller, more delicate and more fragile. The living animal is green or brown.

This species was found on the outer reefs of Abrolhos and in dredging done in water deeper than 30 m along the coasts of Ceará, Pernambuco, Sergipe and Bahia states.

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