Montastrea cavernosa is a common hermatypic coral found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It inhabits all reef environments, but is often the predominant coral in deeper zones. Tissue coloration is often green, brown, or reddish-orange and colonies form massive boulders or flat plates important for reef framework. M. cavernosa colonies have been most successful through asexual reproduction, although sexual reproduction occurs in annual cycles.