Microporous Coral

zooxanthellate

Colonies are encrusting or leafy, sometimes developing large, attractive plates. Papillae are numerous, and irregularly scattered; some sections have almost regular, cerioid calices. Large, leafy specimens may be fairly common on fringing reefs and other reef slopes, where it seems able to live in relatively dim conditions. This species has similarities to M. monasteriata and it has colonies similar to a small M. aequituberculata (Sheppard, 1998). Colonies are submassive or plate-like. Corallites are small, some exsert, some immersed. Corallites are separated by papillae/tuberculae of about one corallite in diameter. Colour: Usually dull brown or green, may be bright blue. Abundance: common over a wide range of habitats (Veron, 1986). Grows as extensive crusts or plates. Surface bumps or tubercules are small and papillate. Colour: varies from dull brown or green to blue or purple. Habitat: diverse (Richmond, 1997).