species: Acropora grandis in Lizard Island Field Guide (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island Field Guide > Marine Life > Invertebrates > Corals and similar animals > Hard Corals > Acroporidae > Acropora > Acropora grandis (gallery)
Acropora grandis


©Anne Hoggett: Acropora grandis in the Lizard Island lagoon near Palfrey Island. Note varied sizes of radial corallites and that they project almost at right angles to the branch. Identified by Dr Zoe Richards.

©Lyle Vail: Acropora grandis in the Lizard Island lagoon off Palfrey Island in 2012. Note the very open branching pattern. Photo identified by Dr Zoe Richards.

©Andy Lewis: Acropora grandis at Watson's Bay 1/7/2017. This colony survived both bleaching events. Note the very open growth form.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hexacorallia
Order Scleractinia
Family Acroporidae
Genus Acropora
Species Acropora grandis
Status least concern

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

              

Distinguishing features

Forms very open aborescent colonies that can reach 2m high and wide, in sheltered subtidal locations. Radial corallites are tubular, various sizes and generally projecting close to perpendicular from the branch, with round to slightly oblique openings. Typically blue around Lizard Island but can be brown as well. Branch tips very delicate and crumbly to the touch, due to the light structure of the radial corallite walls. Distinguish from A. intermedia and A. muricata by the form of the radial corallites, which are relatively smaller and perpendicular to branch, giving the branch a 'neater' appearance.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Web resources

References

  • Babcock, R.C., G.D. Bull, P.L. Harrison, A.J. Heyward, J.K. Oliver, C.C. Wallace and B.L. Willis (1986). Synchronous spawnings of 105 scleractinian coral species on the Great Barrier Reef, Marine Biology, 90: 379-394. LIRS catalog number 300.
  • Berumen, M.L. (2000). Influence of diet and habitat on the condition of butterflyfish, M.Sc. thesis, James Cook University. LIRS catalog number 719.
  • Berumen, M.L. (2006). Influence of resource availability on life-history traits in coral-feeding butterflyfishes (Pisces: Chaetodontidae), Ph.D. thesis, James Cook University, Australia. LIRS catalog number 987.
  • View all references