Pore Coral

zooxanthellate

This coral shows great consistency of character, making it one of the more easily separated Montipora. It is usually encrusting or has small massive coralla. The surface of this species appears smooth. The surface is covered with rounded, bead-like papillae in a uniform, regular and crowded manner such that, although papillae are separate and each is smoothly rounded, they almost touch each other. The papillae are about 0.5 -0.75 mm tall and across, and are not grouped around the corallite walls but are regularly spread. Calices are spread evenly over the surface. It is very common on reef slopes between 5 and 20 m deep (Sheppard, 1998). Colonies are massive to encrusting. Corallites are evenly distributed, immersed. The reticulum is densely covered with elongate papillae of uniform length. Colour: brown or mottled brown and white. Papillae may have white or purple tips. White polyps may be extended during the day. Abundance: common on upper reef slopes (Veron, 1986).