Acanthastrea rotundoflora

(Chevalier, 1975)

Vernacular names

English : Encrusting starry cup coral
French : Corail étoile encroûtante

Classification

Class : Anthozoa
Order : Scleractinia
Family : Lobophylliidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification

Colonies are encrusting to submassive, usually quite small. Smallest colonies have conspicuous central corallite. Corallites not very distinct, skeleton covered with fleshy tissue, edge structure visible. Coloration brown, red or green.

Range and habitat

This species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area, around the Red Sea and from Nicobar Islands to south Japan, south to north Australia, east to French Polynesia. Lives in coral reefs, in protected areas, down to 30 meters deep.

Conservation

IUCN RED LIST : NEAR THREATENED
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species has a huge range and lives deeper which means it is less likely to suffer from habitat loss than other coral species for the time being.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation