Acropora gemmifera

Acropora gemmifera natural reef tapering branches Reefscapers Maldives

Coral Description

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia >> Phylum: Cnidaria >> Class: Anthozoa >> Order: Scleractinia >> Family: Acroporidae

Appearance:

  • Digitate colonies
  • Thick branches which taper
  • Incipient axial corallites are common at branch bases

Colour: Usually purple, blue, cream or brown with blue or white branch tips

Axial Corallites: Smaller than the diameter of the branches due to tapering (2.8-4.2 mm)

Radial Corallites:

  • Two sizes, usually in rows
  • Corallites increase in length towards branch base

Similar species: Acropora humilis is similar in appearance but has larger axial corallites, and shorter radial corallites that do not increase in length towards the branch base.

Habitat: Exposed upper reef slopes and flats.

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