Acropora cervicornis, the staghorn coral, is a critically endangered branching coral (family Acroporidae) historically dominant in Caribbean reef systems. Its colonies consist of long, cylindrical branches forming extensive thickets in shallow waters (0–20 m), providing critical structural habitat for reef fish and invertebrates. Since the 1980s, populations have declined over 97% due to white-band disease, thermal bleaching, and hurricane damage. It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Genomic data have been generated for this species and are available in public databases, enabling comparative studies of cnidarian evolution and ecology.