Acropora is the coral genus famous for forming branching, antler-like colonies.
Many Acropora species grow as branching structures, while others form table-like or plate-like colonies. Their rapid growth can create complex three-dimensional habitat for reef fish and invertebrates. The shape varies with species, depth, water movement, and light conditions.
Acropora are stony corals. Individual polyps secrete calcium carbonate skeletons, and repeated budding creates a colony of genetically related animals. Most shallow-water species maintain a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates, commonly called zooxanthellae, which provide much of the coral’s energy.
The genus is often confused with the broad category “branching coral,” which includes other genera. Acropora is a specific taxonomic group, not a name for every coral with branches. Many Acropora species are vulnerable to bleaching, disease, storms, and warming seas.