Lettuce Coral

Description:

A hard coral that appears to have "leaves", which are actually a series of corallites with tall, thick walls. Color is usually dull brown or green. A colony of this coral can reach more than a meter in diameter.

Habitat:

Widespread in the Indo-West Pacific area. Its preferred habitat is in sheltered waters, such as lagoons and sheltered reef areas.

Notes:

I see this type of stony coral often when I dive. The coral is roughly circular at the base, the color is usually brown, and the biggest I've seen is about a meter and a half across. It has tall ridges that form loosely-arranged rays.