Lobophyllia flabelliformis

Lobophyllia flabelliformis is a coral species found predominantly in the Indo-West Pacific region, stretching from Japan to Australia and extending to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It thrives in shallow reef environments, with a depth range from the surface down to 40 meters, though most occurrences are shallower than 10 meters. This coral is known for its large, dome-shaped colonies that have a flabello-meandroid formation with closely compacted valleys. Despite their robust appearance, these colonies can break apart easily. The polyps are characterized by a thick, fleshy mantle covered with elongate papillae that resemble tentacles. When disturbed, the mantle retracts, revealing the underlying skeletal structure with valleys that lack common walls. The coral's color is a uniform dark gray-brown, which can sometimes make it resemble species from the Symphyllia genus underwater. Members of the class Anthozoa, to which this coral belongs, can be either gonochoric or hermaphroditic, with mature gametes shed into the coelenteron and spawned through the mouth. The IUCN has assessed this species as Least Concern.