The genus name of both Diploria clivosa and Diploria strigosa is called Pseudodiploria Fukami, Budd, & Knowlton by many, which distinguishes it from the clearly different Diploria labyrinthiformis.

A brain coral, with long meandering valleys. The colonies are usually smoothly domed, and have smooth surfaces. There is sometimes a very narrow groove along the tops of the walls, and the walls have sloping or rounded sides.

Valleys may run straight for considerable distances or be highly irregular in direction, often on the same colony.

Some of these photos show both D. strigosa and D. clivosa together for comparison.