General Information

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group; ? N.Group; Marine, near-shore, moat, reef-flat lagoon, outer reef-flat KEY FEATURES: Small (~20cmØ), finger-like colony, cream with pink tips. Radial corallites tubular, rounded or sliced in half (dimidiate) calice openings. Axial corallites up to 3.7mmØ. Coenosteum a fine network & covered in dense thorn-like formations (=spinules). SIMILAR SPECIES: Acropora humils has larger branches & corallites, in particular the axial corallites. Acropora gemmifera has thicker branches (vs thinner branches and smaller corallites of Acropora digitifera).

Cook Islands Distribution

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

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW

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

IDENTIFICATION: COLONY short finger-like branches up to 3cm long & 0.8mm wide arising from a flat, spread-out base. Cream/yellow with pink tips. RADIAL CORALLITES tubular with rounded or dimidiate openings, 1.3-2.4mmØ. CALICES 1-1.3mmØ. SEPTA, 2 cycles up to 2/3 & 1/2 R. AXIAL CORALLITES less than 3.7mmØ. CALICES 0.9-1.6mmØ. SEPTA, 2 cycles up to 3/4 & 2/3 R. COENOSTEUM network-like & covered in dense thorn-like formations (spinules).

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens+photo, Muri lagoon, ID S.Miller (2001) per Veron (AIMS Mono Series), NHP#SM011 - 012.

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 180-183.

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

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