Acropora robusta
Acropora robusta coral is a species of acroporid coral found in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the southwest and northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and the oceanic west and central Pacific Ocean. It occurs in tropical shallow reefs, mainly along margins that are exposed to the action of strong waves, and can be found at depths from 1 to 8 metres.
It was described by Dana in 1846. It occurs in irregular colonies consisting of thick branches towards the centre, but its outer branches are thinner. Its rasp-like radial corallites can be of a variety of diameters and shapes. The species pink- or yellow-brown, cream, or bright green with branches having pinkish ends.
It is classed as a least concern species on the IUCN Red List, but it is believed that its population is decreasing, and it is listed under Appendix II of CITES. Figures of its population are unknown, but is likely to be threatened by the global reduction of coral reefs, the increase of temperature causing coral bleaching, climate change, human activity, the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) and disease.
It occurs in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the southwest and northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and the oceanic west and central Pacific Ocean. It is found at depths between 1 and 8 metres in tropical shallow reefs mostly along margins exposed to the actions of strong waves. It was described as Madrepora robusta in 1846 by Dana.
Is a branching, stony coral with cylindrical branches ranging from a few centimetres to over two metres in length and height. It occurs in back reef and fore reef environments from 0 to 30 m depth. The upper limit is defined by wave forces, and the lower limit is controlled by suspended sediments and light availability. Fore reef zones at intermediate depths 5–25 m were formerly dominated by extensive single-species stands of staghorn coral until the mid-1980s.
This coral exhibits the fastest growth of all known western Atlantic fringe corals, with branches increasing in length by 10–20 cm per year. This has been one of the three most important Carribean corals in terms of its contribution to reef growth and fishery habitat.
(extract from Wikipedia)
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