01 Jun Did you know? The hardiest of all coral species are the Acropora

Did you know Acropora is a genus of small polyp stony coral in the phylum Cnidaria. Some of its species are known as table coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral.

There are over 149 Acropora species described and they are also the easiest to grow. Acropora genus are some of the major reef corals responsible for building the immense calcium carbonate substructure that supports the thin living skin of a reef.

There are five ways that Acropora grow, one of them is called Acropora branching like in this photo. This form shape like a tree branch or an elkhorn. This type of Acropora is the easiest to find and the fastest to grow. Acropora is especially susceptible to bleaching when stressed. Bleaching is due to the loss of the coral’s zooxanthellae, which are a golden-brown color. Bleached corals are stark white and may die if new symbiodinium cells cannot be assimilated. Common causes of bleaching and coral death include pollution, abnormally warm water temperatures, increased ocean acidification, sedimentation, and eutrophication