Stylophora pistillata
Esper, 1797
Description: Colonies are branching with blunt-ended branches becoming thick and submassive. Corallites are immersed, conical or hooded. They have a solid style-like columella, six primary septa which may be short or fused with the columella, and sometimes six short secondary septa. The coenosteum is covered by fine spinules.
Color: Uniform cream, pink, blue (which may photograph pink) or green.
Habitat: Primarily in shallow water reef environments exposed to strong wave action.
Abundance: Common; may be a dominant species on exposed reef fronts.
Similar Species: Stylophora danae. See also S. subseriata.
Taxonomic note: This species is divisible into several smaller semi-distinct taxonomic units. Colonies from shallow reef flats with thick branches have been called Stylophora mordax. Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Veron and Pichon (1976), Dai (1989). Identification guides: Veron (1986), Nishihira and Veron (1995), Coles (1996), Carpenter et al. (1997).
On a reef flat exposed to strong wave action. Branches are thick and sturdy, as in the adjacent colony of Acropora palifera. Papua New Guinea Photograph: Charlie Veron
On an upper reef slope. Branches are moderately thick. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Neville Coleman
Sturdy branches of a colony exposed to strong wave action. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Jim Maragos
Detail of a colony with thick branches. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Valerie Taylor
Branches of colonies exposed to turbulence are often irregular. Papua New Guinea Photograph: Charlie Veron
Skeletal detail. Side of a branch.
Detail of a colony with thin branches. Papua New Guinea Photograph: Charlie Veron