Acropora vaughani
Wells, 1954
Description: Colonies are usually open branched, becoming bushy on upper reef slopes and in shallow lagoons. Main branches may have compact branchlets giving colonies a bushy appearance. Incipient axial corallites are abundant. Radial corallites are widely spaced and vary in length. The coenosteum is fine, giving branches a smooth appearance, visible underwater.
Color: Uniform blue (which may photograph pink), cream or pale brown.
Habitat: Turbid water around fringing reefs.
Abundance: Uncommon.
Similar Species: Acropora horrida. See also A. austera, which may have a similar colony shape but has larger, more compact radial corallites. See also A. tortuosa. and A. rufus.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic references: Wells (1954), Veron and Wallace (1984), Wallace (1999). Identification guides: Veron (1986), Nishihira and Veron (1995).
Usual appearance of a large colony. Papua New Guinea Photograph: Charlie Veron
Forming a corymbose plate on a reef exposed to strong wave action. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Charlie Veron
Forming a thicket. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Charlie Veron
Skeletal detail. Axial and radial corallites.
Detail of branches. Great Barrier Reef, Australia Photograph: Charlie Veron