Description:
Ivory bush coral generally forms dense colonies up to 12 inches in diameter on short, crooked branches.  Color is often a yellow-brown, but this feature can be obscured by other organisms which encrust the coral.  This species prefers shallow areas high in sedimentation, to depths of 3 - 75 feet, though it rarely occurs below 40 feet.  Colonies grow to approximately 1 foot in diameter, with branches generally less than 1/2 inch in diameter.

Habitat:
Oculina diffusa is common in nearshore reefs off Florida where it is found on limestone ledges of 1.5 - 6.7 feet relief.  It also occurs on exposed coquina limestone along the intracoastal waterway in the Indian River Lagoon.

Similar Species:
Ivory bush coral is similar in appearance to a related species, ivory tree coral,  Oculina varicosa, which also occurs in the Indian River Lagoon.  It is differentiated from O. varicosa by size, depth and growth habit.  Ivory bush coral grows to depths of 40 - 75 feet, tends to be smaller than ivory tree coral, and has shorter branches.

Range:
Ivory bush coral occurs in Florida, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the West Indies.