| Acropora arabensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Scleractinia |
| Suborder: | Astrocoeiina |
| Family: | Acroporidae |
| Genus: | Acropora |
| Species: | A. arabensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Acropora arabensis (Hodgson & Carpenter, 1995) | |
Acropora arabensis is aspecies ofacroporid coral native to theIndian Ocean and was originally described by Gregor Hodgson and Kent Carpenter in 1995.[2] It is a locally common species usually found in upperreef slopes andlagoons, most commonly between 3 and 5 m depth.[3] Like other species in theAcropora genus, it is susceptible tocoral bleaching. It is classified as "Near Threatened" by theIUCN Red List and population numbers are currently decreasing.[1]
Acropora arabensis has a digitate skeletal structure with infrequently dividing branches which taper at the ends. Its surface has dome-shaped axialcorallites and thick-walled, strongly appressed radial corallites.[3] Axial and radial corallites form two synapticular rings.[4] Corallite size decreases towards the ends of the branches. Colonies that form in deeper, more protected reef areas have a tendency to form more tubular radial corralites among immersed ones. Lamellarsepta are moderately well-developed and almost extend to the center with a radius about one half of calice radius.[2]
To date,Acropora arabensis is only known to live natively off the coast ofKuwait in thePersian Gulf where the species was initially discovered. Additional specimens have been discovered in the southernRed Sea[4] and off the northernMadagascar coast.[1]
It is pale brown to grey in color. Similar in appearance,Acropora ocellata has longer branches and more elongate radial corallites.[3] It can be differentiated fromAcropora clathrata by its tree-like structure and its strongly appressed, regularly distributed corallites.[2]
