Acropora is a genus of small polyp stony coral in the phylum Cnidaria. Some of its species are known as table coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral. Over 149 species are described. Acropora species are some of the major reef corals responsible for building the immense calcium carbonate substructure that supports the thin living skin of a reef.
The Staghorn coral is a branching, stony coral, within the Order Scleractinia. It is characterized by thick, upright branches which can grow in excess of 2 meters in height and resemble the antlers of a stag, hence the name, Staghorn. It grows within various areas of a reef but is most commonly found within shallow fore and back reefs, as well as patch reefs, where water depths rarely exceed 20 meters. Staghorn corals can exhibit very fast growth, adding up to 5 cm in new skeleton for every 1 cm of existing skeleton each year, making them one of the fastest growing fringe coral species in the Western Atlantic. Due to this fast growth, Acropora cervicornis, serve as one of the most important reef building corals, functioning as marine nurseries for juvenile fish, buffer zones for erosion and storms, and center points of biodiversity in the Western Atlantic.
Acropora aculeus is a species of acroporid corals found throughout the Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, southeast Asia, Japan and the East China Sea. It is also present in the western Pacific Ocean. It is an uncommon species and is particularly prone to coral bleaching, disease, and crown-of-thorns starfish predation; it is also harvested for use in aquaria, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being a "vulnerable species". Habitat loss is a big concern.
Acropora jacquelineae is a species of acroporid coral found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the central and western Pacific Ocean. It can be found offshore of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Samoan Islands, and the Solomon Islands. It occurs in tropical shallow reefs on reef slopes and flats in subtidal areas, at depths of around between 15 and 35 metres. It was described by Carden Wallace in 1994.
Acropora awi is a species of acroporid coral that was described by Wallace and Wolstenholme in 1998. Found in fringing reefs, the slopes of shallow reefs, and sandy slopes, it occurs in a marine environment. The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population, and is easily damaged. It can be found over a large area but is not abundant.
Acropora batunai is a species of acroporid coral that was described by Carden Wallace in 1997. Found in protected, shallow reefs, it occurs in a marine environment at depths of up to 44 m (144 ft). The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population, and is extremely fragile. It can be found over a large area but, overall, is not common.
Acropora derawanensis is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Carden Wallace in 1997. Found in tropical, shallow reefs sheltered from the waves in a marine environment, it is found at depths of 10 to 25 m on reef slopes. The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II. It is easily damaged.
Acropora desalwii is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Dr Carden Wallace in 1994. Found in sheltered, tropical, shallow reefs, mainly on the slopes, this species is generally found at depths below 15 metres, but this can be as low as 30 metres. The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population, and is affected by disease. It is common and found over a large area, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora donei is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by J. Veron and Carden Wallace in 1984. Found in fringing reefs and the upper slopes of shallow reefs, it occurs at depths of 5 to 20 m. The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population, and is affected by disease. It is not common but found over a large area, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora hemprichii is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1834. It lives in reefs at depths of 3 to 15 m for between 13 and 24 years. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and has a decreasing population. It is common with a wide range, and is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
Acropora hoeksemai is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Dr. Carden Wallace in 1997. Found in shallow reefs in a marine environment, it is found at depths of 8 to 20 m. It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and has a decreasing population. It is common, listed on Appendix II of CITES, and is found over a large range.
Acropora indonesia is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Dr Carden Wallace in 1997. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs in sheltered flat locations or gentle slopes, it occurs at depths of 10 to 20 m. It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is common and found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II.
Acropora kimbeensis is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Dr. Carden Wallace in 1999. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs usually at depths of 3 to 12 m, but can occur as low as 15 m (49 ft). It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is not common and found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II.
Acropora kirstyae is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Jen Veron and C. C. Wallace in 1984. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs in sheltered areas usually at depths of 10 to 25 m, and also occurs in sheltered lagoons. It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is not common and found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II.
Acropora kosurini is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by C. C. Wallace in 1994. Found in marine, shallow reefs, it occurs at depths of 8 to 20 m. It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it is believed to have a decreasing population. It is rare but found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II.
Acropora loisetteae is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by C. C. Wallace in 1994. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs in sheltered lagoons, it is found at depths between 1 and 30 m. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora lokani is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by C. C. Wallace in 1994. Found in marine, shallow reefs and sheltered lagoons, it occurs at depths between 8 and 25 m. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is believed to have a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, including in three regions of Indonedia, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora plumosa is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Dr. C. C. Wallace and J. Wolstenholme in 1998. Found in marine, tropical, reefs on slopes sheltered from wave action, and on reef walls. It occurs at depths between 10 and 30 m. It is classed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it has a decreasing population. It is not common and found over a large area and is classified under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora polystoma is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by G. Brook in 1891. Found in marine, tropical, reefs on upper slopes where waves are strong, it occurs at depths between 3 and 10 m. It is classed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it has a decreasing population. It is not common and found over a large area and is classified under CITES Appendix II.
Carden Crea Wallace is an Australian scientist who was the curator/director of the Museum of Tropical Queensland from 1987 to 2003. She is an expert on corals having written a "revision of the Genus Acropora". Wallace was part of a team that discovered mass spawning of coral in 1984.
