- Size
- Table colonies over 2 m across; staghorn thickets several metres wide
- Snorkel or dive
- Snorkel and dive, mostly shallow.
- Best season
- Year-round; calm, clear conditions give the best coral viewing.
- Conservation
- Varies by species; many branching Acropora are Vulnerable (IUCN).
How to recognise it
Fast-growing stony corals with a distinctive tip (axial) polyp on each branch; forms flat tables, delicate plates or antler-like thickets in tan, blue and cream.
Behaviour in the wild
The Maldives' primary reef-builders. Branches host cleaner shrimps, damselfish and juvenile reef fish; colonies spawn in mass events tied to lunar cycles.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Reef flats and upper reef slopes across every atoll; classic table-coral gardens on sheltered eastern reefs and thila tops.
Visual field notes
See table & staghorn coral from more than one angle.
One verified identification image is currently available.
01 · Field portrait · Species reference
PhotoNational Marine SanctuariesPublic domain
Field notes
Acropora is among the fastest-growing corals on Earth — up to 10–20 cm a year — which is also why bleaching events hit it first.
Profile references
References are shown transparently; profile copy may also include editorial synthesis. Seasons and sightings vary with wild conditions.
