Acropora latistella

Taxonomy:

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

Appearance:

• Colonies form corymbose plates or clumps
• Branchlets are thin and straight or uniformly curved
• Tentacles often out during the day

Colour: Uniform cream or brown, sometimes purple or green. Branch tips sometimes blue/purple or yellow.

Axial Corallites:

Usually distinctive, 1.5- 3mm.

Radial Corallites:

In a rosette arrangement, in rows. Moderately appressed with oval- round opening. Uniform size.

Similar species: Acopora subulata also has tubular and appressed corallite, however they lack rounded openings and a rosette arrangement. A. valida and A. nana have longer and more appressed radial corallites.

Habitat: Can be found in many different environments, but often found in shallow turbid waters.