Anthozoa - Scleractinia - Heliastraeidae

Alternative combination: Orbicella farquharsoni

Belongs to Heliastrea according to A. Azzaroli 1958

Sister taxa: Heliastrea (Athecastraea), Heliastrea autignacensis, Heliastrea boueana, Heliastrea carnegiei, Heliastrea deformis, Heliastrea defrancei, Heliastrea delicata, Heliastrea grandis, Heliastrea irregularis, Heliastrea laticosta, Heliastrea lusitaniae, Heliastrea mellahica, Heliastrea nerthensis, Heliastrea oligophylla, Heliastrea parva, Heliastrea pelouaensis, Heliastrea saubriguensis, Heliastrea saucatsensis, Heliastrea solenastroides, Heliastrea taurinensis, Heliastrea virga

Type specimen: Its type locality is Dubino, Berbera area, which is in an Oligocene reef, buildup or bioherm limestone in Somalia

Ecology: stationary intermediate-level epifaunal photosymbiotic-suspension feeder