Mushroom coral

Description:

Coralla usually thick and varying from flat to arched. The shapes of complete individuals are slightly oval, with a maximum diameter of up to 41 mm, and 18 mm in height. Central fossa is relatively long. First and second order septa have vertical inner margins, and are conspicuously higher near the center of the corallum, while becoming equal towards the periphery. All septa bear minute triangular dentations of 0.4 mm. Higher order septa have small, pointed granules on the sides. Costae vary from thin and equal to regularly alternating, with small blunt spines or rounded granules. Columella is weakly developed. Living coralla are pale cream or greenish, sometimes brightly colored in shallow waters. Major septal margins are often white.

Habitat:

Widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific, from Red Sea and east Africa to Japan and New Caledonia. Corals are free-living in adult stage. Found on soft inter-reef and reef slopes with predominantly fine sediment, sometimes occur on reef substrate.