Leaf Coral

zooxanthellate

This is a basically encrusting species which commonly develops massive and sub-massive irregular domes, and which often has a foliaceous fringe. Corallites are very variable in size. On smooth, leafy coralla, such as those from deep water, corallite diameter is about 3 mm and they are separated by up to 1 cm from each other. On massive forms from shallow or turbulent water, calices may be 4 mm diameter, and are closer together and more clearly defined. The septa are alternating in size, and both cycles flow over calice walls into adjacent calices. There is a columella made of small pegs. Widespread but not very common, this species is found mostly on steep reef slopes, usually in clear water rather than turbid areas (Sheppard, 1998). Colonies are encrusting or thin unifacial laminae, sometimes submassive or columnar. Corallites are usually widely spaced, circular, with pillar-like columellae and smooth alternating septo-costae. Colour: grey, brown, pink, purple, green or yellow, sometimes mottled. Abundance: (occurs in a wide range of shallow habitats but is seldom common, in Veron (1986)).