Acropora cervicornis
Staghorn Coral
Common Names
CR
IUCN:
Scleractinia
Order:
Acroporidae
Family
Distribution
Commonly found in
reefs, but as a reef building coral, colonies can
grow in isolation of them in open sand.
Ecology
It prefers shallow to intermediate depths between 3 to 18 m, in clear, calm waters.
Description
Tree-shaped coral integrated with long branches (more than 1 m
long), round and thin (3 cm in diameter) and well spaced. The new branches grow perpendicular to the main one. Its structure is extremely fragile. The small polyps that grow from tips of the branches are white, while the ones growing from the when located on the sides of the branch range from light brown to brown. Polyps usually contract during the day. They can form large groups of more than 3 m each. One of the fastest growing corals, in optimal conditions it can grow 12 to 15 cm per year.
Other photos
