Rare on shallow Hawaiian
reefs exposed to surge.
Forms large encrustations topped with rough knobs. Tiny polyps are surrounded by
short irregular ridges. Calices lack a small central rod known as
the columella present in Porites monticulosa. Yellowish green or grayish brown with
white polyps. Similar to Porites
monticulosa but limited to shallow water. Abundant in the surf zone of
Tutuila, American
Samoa. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. Formerly known in
Hawaii as Porites
irregularis.
All
coral skeletons illustrated are from scientific collections taken prior
to 1998.
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