Lobophyllia robusta
Yabe and Sugiyama, 1936
Description: Colonies usually consist of a few corallites but may become large and hemispherical. Corallites are large, phaceloid and mostly monocentric. Septa have tall sharp teeth. Polyps are thick and fleshy, with a rough surface.
Color: Blue-grey, sometimes with pale valley floors or septo-costae. All corallites of the same colony have the same colour.
Habitat: Most reef environments.
Abundance: Uncommon.
Similar Species: Lobophyllia hemprichii, which has smaller, less fleshy polyps. Lobophyllia flabelliformis has corallites of similar size and fleshy appearance, but these are always flabello-meandroid.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Yabe and Sugiyama’s original description/specimens. Identification guide: Nishihira and Veron (1995).
Adjacent colonies of Lobophyllia robusta (right) and L. hemprichii (left). These species are sometimes difficult to distinguish. Ryukyu Islands, Japan Photograph: Charlie Veron
Lobophyllia robusta (paler colony) has larger, more fleshy corallites than L. hemprichii (darker colony). Papua New Guinea Photograph: Valerie Taylor
Skeletal detail. Showing a valley.
A large solitary corallite. Papua New Guinea Photograph: Jim Maragos