Favia fragum
Esper, 1797
Description: Colonies are small (usually less than 50 mm across) and hemispherical to encrusting. Corallites have very variable shapes ranging from immersed to conical (plocoid) to tubular (subphaceloid) and may be circular with one mouth, to elongate with many mouths. Encrusting colonies in intertidal habitats may be submeandroid. Spherical colonies with unrestricted growing space commonly develop tubular corallites. Corallites or valleys are seldom more than 5 millimetres across. Whatever the corallite shape, the walls are neatly rounded. Septo-costae are exsert and evenly spaced.
Color: Usually tan to light orange-brown with pale green tentacles. Walls and calices may have contrasting colours.
Habitat: Intertidal rock pools and shallow reef environments.
Abundance: Common.
Similar Species: None.
Taxonomic note: This species is usually called Favia gravida in Brazil after Laborel (1969). Brazilian colonies are usually more meandroid but all characters overlap. Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Roos (1971), Zlatarski and Estalella (1982). Identification guides: Colin (1978), Humann (1993).
In intertidal habitats this species develops submeandroid corallites. Abrolhos Islands, Brazil Photograph: Charlie Veron
Common corallite shape and colour. Abrolhos Islands, Brazil Photograph: Charlie Veron
A small colony. Belize Photograph: Charlie Veron
Skeletal detail. Showing corallites.