Colpophyllia natans, the boulder brain coral (family Mussidae), is a massive scleractinian coral forming large, hemispherical colonies with meandering valleys and ridges characteristic of Caribbean reef crests and slopes, with some colonies estimated to live for centuries. It is a major contributor to reef framework construction in the Caribbean and is increasingly impacted by stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN but remains vulnerable to bleaching, disease, and storm damage. Genomic data have been generated for this species and are available in public databases, enabling comparative studies of cnidarian evolution and ecology.