Acropora digitifera

Dana, 1846


Shows wide geographic variation.

Description: Colonies are upright or prostrate tangles of branches up to one metre across. Branches are thin and delicate. Axial corallites are long and tubular. Radial corallites are mostly small and tubular to pocket-shaped with sharp edges.
Color: Reddish-brown, with blue or white axial corallites.
Habitat: Shallow reef environments protected from strong wave action.
Abundance: Uncommon except on some sheltered reef slopes.
Similar Species: Acropora filiformis. See also A. kirstyae, which has thicker branches and corallites with rounded edges.

Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Wallace (1997, 1999).

Colonies exposed at low tide. Magdeline Reef, Coral Sea Photograph: Charlie Veron


Showing the typically uniform branchlets. Zanzibar, Tanzania Photograph: Charlie Veron


Side view of colourful branchlets. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Valerie Taylor


Typical appearance of branchlets. Flores, Indonesia Photograph: Charlie Veron


Usual appearance of axial corallite structure and colour. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Neville Coleman


Skeletal detail. Axial and radial corallites.
Based on Australian Institute of Marine Science data