 The fossilised remains of "Pseudodiploria clivosa" have been found alongside those of other massive corals "Pseudodiploria strigosa", "Siderastrea siderea" and "Solenastrea bouroni" in marine deposits in Río Grande de Manatí, Puerto Rico that date back to the Pleistocene.During the day the polyps of the knobby brain coral are retracted into the corallites but at night they emerge and extend their tentacles to feed.The zooxanthellae are photosynthetic and up to fifty percent of their production is transferred to the host while they make use of the coral's nitrogenous waste.