To stabilize the taxonomy of the genus Porites in the western Atlantic and provide a foundation from which to launch future taxonomic research, neotypes for the coral species Porites porites and P. divaricata are chosen and Porites verrillii is proposed as a junior synonym of P. astreoides. Colony photographs and stereo scanning electron micrographs are provided of corallites of: 1) neotypes of P. porites (i.e., the P. clavaria holotype) and P. divaricata, 2) the holotypes of P. furcata, P. branneri, P. colonensis, and P. verrillii, and 3) a common P. astreoides. A brief taxonomic history of the genus is also provided.