The thrust of this paper is really quite brief – a reef is a reef is a reef is a reef.

Too much has been made of such incidental features as rigidity, wave resistance, frameworks, etc., which may actually prove to be geological intangibles. The arbitrarily-imposed necessity for certifying the existence of such features has proved to be stultifying and sterile concept, and has resulted in much vapid and evasive terminology, like “carbonate buildups”, “shelf-edge carbonates”, “organic mounds”, “limestone ridges”, etc. Useful terms like “bioherm” have been abused and misused. This has obstructed both communication and pedagogy. The essential feature of a reef is REliEF, and given recognition of the pyhsical form of a marine organic carbonate body, the concomitant features of rigidity, wave resistance, etc., may safely be assumed.

Essential pyhsical form of a subsurface reef may be defined by specific and measurable parameters, which are discussed.

A reef is a reef is a reef is a reef. Why be afraid to say so?