Acropora lianae
Nemenzo, 1967
Sri Lankan and central Indo-Pacific colonies are distinct.
Description: Colonies form compact bushes up to 0.5 metres across. Axial and incipient axial corallites are distinctive. Radial corallites are usually a mixture of sizes and are short, barrel-shaped, and strongly appressed.
Color: Dark lower parts of branches and white upper parts.
Habitat: Shallow reef environments, especially on horizontal substrates.
Abundance: Sometimes common and may be a dominant species.
Similar Species: Acropora loripes, which has straighter branches which do not form many branchlets. See also A. valida, which has thicker branchlets and larger corallites. The white branch ends are distinctive underwater.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Nemenzo (1967).
Colonies on a sheltered reef flat. Sri Lanka Photograph: Charlie Veron
Surface detail of branches. Sri Lanka Photograph: Charlie Veron
Large colonies consist of small cushion-shaped clusters of branches. Sri Lanka Photograph: Charlie Veron
Skeletal detail. Axial and radial corallites.