©Andy Lewis: A colony of Acropora gemmifera showing a pale brown colouration and typical short compact branches with large axial polyps
©Andy Lewis: Macro image of Acropora gemmifera showing the large axial corallite and two sizes of radial corallites.
Colours
Distinguishing features
This species is digitate, with compact tapering branches and a large axial polyp. Radial corallites are two sizes, large and small. The large radials increase in size down the branch. Colours include cream, pink, brownish-yellow, and blue-purple. Distinguish from A. humilis which has only one sized radial corallite, with little change in size down the branch.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Upper reef slopes, reef crests and shallow reef flats.
Abundant in shallow habitats around Lizard Island.
Behaviour
Like most Acroporidae, this species is a hermaphrodite broadcast spawner, releasing gametes shortly after dark in the few days after the full moon in the warmer months between November and February.
A. gemmifera is a member of a digitate species complex which also includes A. humilis, A. monticulosa, A. samoensis, and A digitifera. However Wolstenholme (2004) also recognised another 7 intermediate morphs at Lizard Island which may well prove to be seperate species. Persons interested in the correct identification of digitate Acroporid corals should consult this reference, in particular Table 1 which lists the morphological characteristics of each taxon.
Web resources
References
- Abrego, D., M.J.H. Van Oppen and B.L. Willis (2009). Onset of algal endosymbiont specificity varies among closely related species of Acropora corals during early ontogeny, Molecular Ecology, 18: 3532-3543.
- Babcock, R.C., G.D. Bull, P.L. Harrison, A.J. Heyward, J.K. Oliver, C.C. Wallace and B.L. Willis (1986). Synchronous spawnings of 105 scleractinian coral species on the Great Barrier Reef, Marine Biology, 90: 379-394. LIRS catalog number 300.
- Baird, A.H. (2001). The ecology of coral larvae: settlement patterns, habitat selection and the length of the larval phase, Ph.D. thesis, James Cook University. LIRS catalog number 716.
- View all references