Acropora divaricata
Dana, 1846
This species shows wide geographic variation.
Description: Colonies have an exceptionally wide range of growth-forms ranging from flattened plates to cushions. Branches may be flattened or tapered. Axial corallites are often devoid of radial corallites on their upper surface. Radial corallites are all similar and are usually aligned along branches. They change along the branch from immersed to tubular and appressed.
Color: Usually dark brown or greenish brown, sometimes with light brown or blue branch tips or dark blue with whitish tips.
Habitat: Upper reef slopes, lagoons and fringing reefs.
Abundance: Common, may be a dominant species.
Similar Species: Acropora solitaryensis, which has more highly fused basal branches and A. natalensis which forms prostrate colonies. See also A. nasuta and A. stoddarti.
Taxonomic note: This species is divisible into several smaller semi-distinct taxonomic units. Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Veron and Wallace (1984), Wallace (1999). Identification guides: Veron (1986), Nishihira and Veron (1995).
A small colony with the most common appearance of branches. Seychelles Photograph: Charlie Veron
Pointed branch tips. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Ed Lovell
Showing three dimensional (‘divaricate’) branching. Ryukyu Islands, Japan Photograph: Charlie Veron
Skeletal detail. Radial corallites.
Corallite detail. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Ed Lovell