Acropora cytherea

(Dana, 1846)

Vernacular names
English : Elegance coral
French : Corail plateau

Classification
Class : Anthozoa
Order : Scleractinia
Family : Acroporidae
Notes : No subspecies known. A. efflorescens is treated as a synonym.

Identification
Colonies are plate-like (getting even flatter with depth) commonly reaching more than 2 meters across. Solid plate in center, edges are fused branches. Upright branchlets present on all surface. Dark grey or green, pinkish-white margins.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area, from South India and Sri Lanka to north Japan, east and south to New Caledonia. Lives around steep reef slopes, from 10 to 40 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species is threatened by habitat loss and change of water and temperature parameters around its range (consequences of climate change) but so far it seems to remain at least locally common.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

Back to “Corals, Gorgonians, Anemones and relatives” page