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This page will serve as a key reference for the breakdown of Acropora/Isopora

A. rudis group: A. rudis, A. variolosa, A. austera, A. hemprichii

• Growth form - large, thick-branched, simple, robust with simple, irregular branching
  
• Radial corallites - rounded tubular, evenly sized, thick sometimes swollen walls, relatively small calices
  
• Axial corallites - large, numerous synapticular rings, contribute a lot to branch thickness
  
• Coenosteum - elaborate spinules throughout
  
• Habitat - subtidal
  
• Range - Indian Ocean and Red Sea, except A. austera
  
• Notes - A. austera is the only species likely in the trade
  

• Growth form - corymbose or digitate, sturdy, conical or terete branches
  
• Radial corallites - short, thick tubular, nariform to dimidiate openings, dense,evenly sized or two sizes, often touching
  
• Axial corallite, large and dominant, dense reticulum, contribute a lot to branch thickness
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate or reticulo-costate, with laterally flattened, blunt, or flaky irregular spinules
  
• Habitat - most restricted to shallow, intertidal, strong water flow, usually very common on reef flats
  
• Range - wider Indo-Pacific
  

• Growth form - all are corymbose
  
• Radial corallites - nariform or tubular-nariform, evenly sized or in two sizes, contribute a lot to branch thickness
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate with simple spinules, sometimes spinules in rows or joined to form costae
  
• Habitat - subtidal, shallow, common
  
• Range - Indo-Pacific
  

• Growth form - always determinate, central or side attachment, mostly very similar, often symmetrical
  
• Radial corallites - nariform, thick walls, round, oblique, or dimidiate openings, contribute a lot to branch thickness, multiple types and sizes common within colony, spaced out, often even
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate with forked or simple spinules, very dense to costate depending on habitat
  
• Habitat - often occur across wide depth range
  
• Notes: A. clathrata, A. divaricata and A. solitaryensis are commonly named in aquarist circles, and represent species thought to be fairly distinct in growth form...THEY ARE NOT! They can form plates, tables, or thinly branched caespitose to arborescent colonies with the distinction being the attachment point. Small colonies will be indistinct in growth form.
  

• Growth form - varies
  
• Radial corallites - appressed rounded tubular, evenly sized
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate with simple spinules, spinules sometimes in rows, or costate
  
• Habitat - broad, but restricted - shallow coastal fringing reefs
  
• Range - wide, but restricted
  
• Notes: kind of an oddball, catch-all group in terms of appearances.
  

• Growth form - digitate or caespito-corymbose, branches 5-10mm in diameter, up to 100mmm long. Low clumps or patches, often flat topped. Whitish cream to cream brown, occasionally with orangishaxial corallites
  
• Radials - evenly distributed, equal sizes and shapes, appressed tubular with large flaring round openings, two sets of septa (primary 3/4R, secondary to 1/3R)
  
• Axials - outer diameter 2.8-3.5mm, inner 0.8-1.1 mm, two cycles (primary to 3/4R, secondary to 1/3R), a tertiary set of septa may be present
  
• Coenosteum - uniform reticulate with subcostate simple or leterally flatttened spinules
  
• Habitat - fills in spaces between other Acropora, exclusively shallow water species.
  
• Range - wider Indo-Pacific/Indian Ocean
  

• Growth form - open arborescent or arborescent tables with thick sturdy branches
  
• Radials - tubular, various openings, evenly spaced, variable in size, contribute equally with axials to branch thickness
  
• Axials - can become thickened and contribute to heavier sturdier branches
  
• Coenosteum - uniform reticulate with simple spinules, somewhat variable
  
• Habitat - fairly broad.
  
• Range - depends on species
  

• Growth form - variable - subarborescent, corymbose to digitate, simple sturdy branches
  
• Radials - dimorphic; long tubular with dimidiate openings and sub-immersed
  
• Axials - contribute most to branch thickness
  
• Coenosteum - retiuclate between radials, costate on radials
  
• Habitat - shallow high-water movement environments, except A. intermedia (wider range of habitats)
  
• Range - variable, depends on species
  

• looks like a Montipora with unusual corallites and coenosteum
  

• Growth form - variable - corymbose, corymbose table, arborescent, hispidose, etc.
  
• Radials - cochleariform with flaring lip, evenly sized
  
• Coenosteum - retiuclate with simple spinnules b/t radials, costate on radials
  
• Habitat - variable, but usually protected from strong water flow.
  

• Growth form - corymbose or arborescent
  
• Radials - labellate, upper edge absent, lower edge flaring lip
  
• Coenosteum - open, simple, with few simple spinules b/t radials, costate on radials
  
• Habitat - shallow water on reef flats, lagoons or shallow slopes
  
• Notes - degree of lip development is what separates species in this group. They also interbreed often, though some breeding barriers exist. Genetic differences small, hybridization common. i.e. - hard to tell apart!!
  

• Growth form - modified robust hispidose, with even small branches around heavy main branch
  
• Radials - evenly sized, appressed tubular, thick labelate lower wall and round openings, radials contribute equally with axials to branch thickness.
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate without much spinule development at all between radials, costate or reticulo-costate on radials.
  
• Habitat - varies
  
• Range - Indo-Pacific, but not Central Pacific
  

• Growth form - tables or plates, central or side attachment, thickened stalk; juveniles are digitate before the mature table or plate forms (elaborate horizontal branching/anastomoses with short thin vertical projections)
  
• Radials - even sized, labellate, uppper wall absent, lower wall lip is rectangular
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate with simple spinules between radials, costate on radials
  
• Habitat - most reef zones but often shallow
  
• Range - depends on species
  

• Growth form - corymbose, slender branches, varies with depth, can form plates or tables
  
• Radials - evenly sized, appressed tubular, round openings, contribute equally with axials to branch diameter, spacing varies with depth
  
• Coenosteum - uniform reticulate with well-spaced simple spinules between radials, reticulate to reticulo-costate on radials.
  
• Habitat - broad depth range
  

• Growth form - highly variable, even within a colony, indeterminate
  
• Radials - evenly sized, simple tubular, round openings
  
• Coneosteum - simple to elaborate spinules, coenosteum sometimes partly fused, reticulate to costate between and on radials
  
• Habitat - variable, usually protected and lower water flow
  
• Range - variable
  

• Growth form - irregular, flat-topped arborescent tables to twisted arborescent, branches 3-15mm diameter up to 50mm long; horizontal branchlets 3-4 mm diameter, sometimes anastomosing, the loose, open tables can form multiple tiers, cream to yellow-brown, yellow-grey, brown color
  
• Axials - 1.2-2.1mm OD, 0.6-1.2 ID, primary septa to 2/3 radius, secondary cycle absent or barely developed
  
• Radials - even, not touching; tubular; round, oval or dimidiate openings, primary septa to 1/4 radius; secondary cycle absent or barely developed
  
• Coenosteum - reticulate to reticulo-costate on radials with laterally flattened
  spinules, reticulate between radials with laterally flattened spinules between, sometimes in rows
  
• Habitat - deep slopes and walls below 40 feet
  
• Range - Indonesia and Papua only
  

• Growth form - mostly horizontal branching with sparse flattened branches
  
• Radials - evenly sized, tubular or appressed tubular; most species reticulate withs ome forming rows or being nearly costate with elebaorate spinules.
  
• Coenosteum - moderate to dense with eleaborate spinules
  
• Habitat - deeper calm water, mainly below 60 feet
  
• Range - localized to Indonesia or Australia, depending on species.
  

• Growth form - various, depending on secondary branching of hispidose or corymbose colonies with a whitish glow
  
• Radials - evenly sized, rounded appressed tubular; some branches may lack radial develpment; mostly reticulate but some species develop costate aspects
  
• Axials - prominet and major contributor to branches
  
• Coenosteum - densely arranged eleborate spinules
  
• Habitat, frequently deep or shaded reef slopes
  
• Range - varies according to species, but most localized to Indonesia
  

• Growth form - well developed hispidose colones; evenly arranged secondary branchlets around primary branches
  
• Radials - sparse; evenly sized, "pocket-like" appressed tubular
  
• Axials - prominent; major contributor to colony development. Colonies have many axials and few radials and axials may be mistakenly be considered radials.
  
• Coenosteum - uniform; costate, or rows of simple to slightly elaborate spinules
  
• Habitat - protected areas (lagoons, deep slopes, sheltered bays); often form large fields with species intermixed
  
• Range - varies with species, some narrow, some wide, but centered around Indonesia.
  

• Growth form - thick, often wedge-shaped branches (except A. brueggemanni which is arborescent)
  
• Radials - absent, except in A. brueggemanni
  
• Axials - multiple
  
• Coenosteum - dense, meandorid arrangement, elaborate spinules on and between axials - most elaborate spinules in Acropora genus
  
• Habitat - variable
  
• Range - variable
  

This page updated last on December 12, 2006.

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