Coelastrea palauensis

(Yabe & Sugiyama, 1936)

Vernacular names
English : Palau lesser star coral
French : Corail étoile de Palau

Classification
Class : Anthozoa
Order : Scleractinia
Family : Merulinidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Colonies are usually fairly small, growing to about 50 cm in diameter, rarely more. Massive and hillrocky colonies, sometimes flat at the top. Corallites are deep with straight walls which are triangular in section. Coloration green or brown.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area, from East Africa to Taiwan and Australia, east to New Caledonia, Pitcairn islands and Fiji. Lives in lagoons, back slopes and sea-facing reef slopes, down to 25 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : NEAR THREATENED
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species is still common and widespread within its range but it is vulnerable both from climate change and, locally, overcollection for the trade.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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