Acropora speciosa coral

Acropora speciosa coral

Acropora speciosa

Protected Status

ESA Threatened
Throughout Its Range

Quick Facts

Weight
Not relevant for corals
Lifespan
Up to hundreds of years
Threats
Climate change, including ocean warming and ocean acidification, Diseases, Land-based sources of pollution, Unsustainable fishing, Small population size, Habitat degradation
Location
Pacific Islands
See Regulatory Actions
Picture of Acropora speciosa coral.

About the Species

Acropora speciosa is a species of coral likely distributed from Indonesia to the Marshall Islands in the western and central Pacific. It also occurs in the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and in at least one site in French Polynesia. In the United States it might be found in the Pacific Remote Island Areas and American Samoa. Colonies of Acropora speciosa form thick cushions or bottlebrush branches. Colonies are cream or light brown in color with delicately colored branch tips. Acropora speciosa is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. 

NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting Acropora speciosa. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.

Learn more about Acropora speciosa (PDF, 3 pages).

Protected Status

ESA Threatened

  • Throughout Its Range

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Anthozoa
Order Scleractinia
Family Acroporidae
Genus Acropora
Species speciosa

Management Overview

Acropora speciosa is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. 

Regulatory Actions & Documents

Listing of 20 Reef-Building Coral Species Under the ESA

We, NOAA Fisheries, are publishing this final rule to implement our final determination to list the following 20 species as threatened: five in the Caribbean (Dendrogyra cylindrus, Orbicella annularis, Orbicella faveolata, Orbicella franksi, and
Final Rule
,
Pacific Islands
Southeast
Effective