Coral Description
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia >> Phylum: Cnidaria >> Class: Anthozoa >> Order: Scleractinia >> Family: Acroporidae
Appearance:
- Irregularly branching colonies, can grow to >2 m across
- Form thickets
- Sturdy upright/prostrate branches
- Branches taper slightly
Colour: Usually brown or pinkish brown
Axial Corallites:
- Dome shaped
- Incipient axial corallites common
Radial Corallites:
- Large
- Conical
- Irregularly spaced
- Thick smooth walls
Similar species: Acropora rudis has larger branches and corallites, radial corallites are restricted to the upper side of branches. Acropora austera has thinner branches and radial corallites are usually more tubular.
Habitat: Shallow reefs
Acropora hemprichii irregular radial corallites
irregular radial corallites
Acropora hemprichii mature Reefscapers coral frame Maldives
mature coral frame
Acropora hemprichii coral fluorescence
coral fluorescence
Acropora hemprichii coral bleached
bleached corals
Acropora hemprichii purple polyps and dome-shaped axial corallites
purple polyps and dome-shaped axial corallites
Acropora hemprichii coral skeleton fragment
coral skeleton fragment
Acropora hemprichii dome-shaped axial corallites
dome-shaped axial corallites
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