Acanthastrea echinata
Dana, 1846
Description: Colonies are encrusting to massive and are rarely over one metre across. Corallites are cerioid or subplocoid, circular and have thick walls. Septa have long pointed teeth. Colonies have thick fleshy tissue over the skeleton which usually forms concentric folds.
Color: Uniform or mottled dull brown, grey or green, but sometimes brightly coloured.
Habitat: Most reef environments.
Abundance: Usually uncommon, but by far the most common Acanthastrea on tropical reefs.
Similar Species: Acanthastrea subechinata and A. brevis. See also A. hemprichii. Skeletons may be confused with those of the faviids Favites abdita or F. flexuosa, but underwater they do not resemble faviids because of the fleshy polyps.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Chevalier (1975), Veron and Pichon (1980). Identification guides: Randall and Myers (1983), Veron (1986), Sheppard and Sheppard (1991), Nishihira and Veron (1995), Coles (1996), Carpenter et al. (1997).
Colonies are usually mound-shaped or flat. Pemba Island, Tanzania Photograph: Charlie Veron
Surface detail. Textural differences are primarily due to the thickness of the polyp flesh rather than to underlying skeletal structure. Ashmore Reef, Western Australia Photograph: Charlie Veron
Surface detail. Textural differences are primarily due to the thickness of the polyp flesh rather than to underlying skeletal structure. Solitary Islands, south-east Australia Photograph: Neville Coleman
Skeletal detail. Showing corallites.
Surface detail. Textural differences are primarily due to the thickness of the polyp flesh rather than to underlying skeletal structure. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Valerie Taylor