Acropora valida

Acropora valida is a coral species belonging to the family Acroporidae. It forms colonies that can vary greatly in shape, ranging from compact bushes to table-like structures. The colonies can reach diameters of over 0.5 meters. The coral is typically brown, cream, or yellow, with branch tips that may appear purple. Its small axial corallites and a variety of radial corallite sizes, which are strongly appressed, help distinguish it from similar species like Acropora variabilis. This coral is widely distributed across tropical shallow reefs, found in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Hawaiian Islands. It inhabits a range of reef environments from intertidal outer reef flats to subtidal reef edges, typically at depths of 1 to 15 meters, although it can be found as deep as 51 meters. Acropora valida is hermaphroditic, with mature gametes being released into the coelenteron and spawned through the mouth. The life cycle includes the development of a planktonic planula larva, which eventually settles and undergoes metamorphosis. The species is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with its population believed to be declining due to threats like coral bleaching, climate change, and predation by the crown-of-thorns starfish.