5-Year Review for 15 Indo-Pacific Reef-Building Coral Species
A 5-year review is a periodic analysis of a species’ status conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species as threatened or endangered on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is accurate.
Under section 4(c)(2) of the Endangered Species Act, we are required to conduct a review of all listed species at least once every 5 years to assess whether the current listing status remains accurate. Fifteen species of Indo-Pacific corals were listed under the ESA in 2014: Acropora globiceps, Acropora jacquelineae, Acropora lokani, Acropora pharaonis, Acropora retusa, Acropora rudis, Acropora speciosa, Acropora tenella, Anacropora spinosa, Euphyllia paradivisa, Isopora crateriformis, Montipora australiensis, Pavona diffluens, Porites napopora, and Seriatopora aculeata. In 2021, we initiated the 5-year review, which was done by the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office. The 5-year review is based on the best available data through August 2023. We concluded that no change to the listing status of the 15 species is warranted at this time. Since listing in 2014, the name of Euphyllia paradivisa has been changed to Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa, as noted in the 5-year review.