Acropora valenciennesii

Habitat

Rocky Reef

Special features

The center of the colony is especially striking, where the branches grow even longer, sometimes over 20 cm, about the length of a toothbrush!

Appearance

The Acropora table coral is a flat coral that looks just like an underwater table. These impressive colonies can grow up to 4 meters across — about the size of a small car!

As if that weren’t fascinating enough, table corals come in a variety of colors, with each colony sporting its own unique look.

Natural enemies

Pisces

Dangerous/Toxic

Acropora valenciennesii is neither dangerous nor poisonous.

Sketch

Pro tips

You’ll usually find these reef giants in shallow water zones and along the upper reef slope, where they get plenty of sunlight. They thrive in areas with strong water movement, especially in well-flushed reef channels, where currents deliver a steady flow of oxygen and nutrients. With their wide distribution across the tropics, table corals are among the most common coral species, making them a breathtaking and familiar sight for divers around the world.

Text: Carolina Leiter

Pic: Felician Hosp

Illustration: Dive Dict