Acropora gemmifera

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Characters: Colonies are digitate. Branches are thick, tapering to a small axial corallite. Radial corallites are of two sizes, usually in rows. The larger sized corallites increase in length towards branch bases, where incipient axial corallites are common. Colour: Usually purple, blue (which may photograph pink), cream or brown, with blue or white branch tips. Dark grey with white corallite rims and yellow axial corallites in the western Indian Ocean. Similar species: Acropora humilis and A. monticulosa, the latter having radial corallites of uniform length down the sides of branches. Habitat: Exposed upper reef slopes and flats. Abundance: Common.

Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Veron and Wallace (1984), Wallace (1999). Identification guides: Veron (1986), Nishihira and Veron (1995).