General Information

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group; ? N.Group; Marine, near-shore, moat, reef-flat lagoon, outer reef-slope KEY FEATURES: Very irregularly branched, cream to brown, rambling colony, ~ 60cmØ. Secondary branches & branchlets are given off at irregular intervals. Radial corallites are tubular, rounded to strongly appressed, irregular yet sometimes arranged in rows. Axial corallites up to 3mm exsert. SIMILAR SPECIES: Acropora vaughani has smaller corallites (vs larger corallites of A. austera) & a different coenosteum composed of fine, closely compacted spinules with elaborated tips (vs fine, reticulate pattern or slightly costate or coarse and spongy coenosteum of A. austera).

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P			P		P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW

Acropora austera (Dana, 1846)
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CNIDARIA (=Coelenterates); ANTHOZOA; ZOANTHARIA (=Hexacorallia); Scleractinia (=Madreporaria); ACROPORIDAE

IDENTIFICATION: COLONY 60cmØ, cream/brown, very irregular branches, thick at the base & thin at the tips. Secondary branches & branchlets are given off at irregular intervals and angles. RADIAL CORALLITES tubular, rounded to strongly appressed, irregular, yet sometimes arranged in rows. RADIAL SEPTA, 2 cycles, with the 2nd sometimes absent. AXIAL CORALLITES up to 3mm exsert. AXIAL CALICES, 0.4mmØ. AXIAL SEPTA, 2 cycles, both present but in very small calices, can be almost absent. COENOSTEUM fine with a reticulate pattern or slightly costate or coarse and spongy.

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens+photo, Muri Lagoon, S.Miller (2002) ID per Veron (AIMS Mono Series), NHP#SM008 - 010.

References:
Special Reference: Veron, J.E.N. & Wallace, C.C. (1984). Scleractinia of Eastern Australia. Part V Family Acroporidae. Australian Institute of Marine Science Monograph Series 6. p 262-266.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

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