Leptoseris kalayaanensis – Species Splash

Durians aren’t just found on land—they’re under the sea, too!

The coral Leptoseris kalayaanensis, nicknamed the “durian coral,” is easily recognizable by its spiky surface and blunt, white-tipped spines. Formally described by Licuanan and Aliño in 2009 based on specimens collected from the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in 1999, L. kalayaanensis has now been discovered farther east than its known range. UP MSI researchers Marielle Ann Carungay, Dr. Patrick C. Cabaitan, and Dr. Cecilia Conaco reported new sightings in Apo Reef Natural Park in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, in a paper published just last week, September 9, 2025.

Apart from its recorded presence in the KIG, this rare coral was also documented near Malaysia in 2013 and in Vietnam in 2008. Surveys conducted from 2023–2024 across northern and central Philippine reefs revealed the presence of L. kalayaanensis colonies in Apo Reef Natural Park, extending information on its range much farther east. While much still remains unknown about the durian coral, members of the genus Leptoseris occur across the Indo-Pacific, favoring shaded, low-light habitats such as reef overhangs and crevices. This emphasizes the need for deeper reef ecosystems to be included in future conservation strategies.

Apo Reef Natural Park has been a protected area since 1996 and a national park under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (e-NIPAS) Act since 2018. As we celebrate Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month #MANAMo this September, the discovery of L. kalayaanensis in Apo Reef Natural Park highlights the importance of marine protected areas, especially for rare and endemic species—a reminder that safeguarding our coral reefs safeguards our marine heritage.

Read the full paper here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12526-025-01570-9

This research was made possible with support from DOST–PCAARRD through the Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Program.