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Anacropora spinosa Coral

Anacropora spinosa Coral

Anacropora spinosa

Anacropora spinosa coral illustration. Credit: Jack Hornady.

Protected Status

ESA Threatened - Foreign
Throughout Its Range

Quick Facts

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
Region
Foreign
Close-up photo of Anacropora spinosa coral with tree-like branches. Anacropora spinosa coral. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Anacropora spinosa coral. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

About the Species

Anacropora spinosa is a species of coral likely to be found in the Coral Triangle area (the Philippines to Timor Leste and east to the Solomon Islands). It is also confirmed to occur in southern Japan. Colonies of Anacropora spinosa have compact branches,that are pale brown in color, occasionally with white tips.

Under the Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries must list threatened and endangered marine species regardless of where they are found. Anacropora spinosa is listed as threatened throughout its range under the ESA. 

Learn more about Anacropora spinosa (PDF, 3 pages)

Protected Status

ESA Threatened - Foreign

  • Throughout Its Range
Anacropora spinosa range map World map providing approximate representation of Anacropora spinosa coral's range.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Scleractinia
Family Acroporidae
Genus Anacropora
Species spinosa

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Recreational Fishing Regulations

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Commercial Fishing Regulations

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Subsistence Fishing Regulations

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Management Overview

The Anacropora spinosa is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It is also listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Key Actions and Documents

Actions & Documents

Announcement of a Recovery Planning Workshop for the 15 ESA-Listed Indo-Pacific Corals

We are convening a workshop to solicit facts and information from stakeholders and experts to inform recovery planning for 15 species of threatened Indo-Pacific reef corals listed under the Endangered Species Act. We will not be asking for a consensus…
Information Gathering
,
Pacific Islands
Published

Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Indo-Pacific Reef-Building Corals

We, NOAA Fisheries, announce the initiation of a 5-year review for 15 Indo-Pacific reef-building corals (Acropora globiceps, Acropora jacquelineae, Acropora lokani, Acropora pharaonis, Acropora retusa, Acropora rudis, Acropora speciosa, Acropora tenella…
Information Gathering
,
Pacific Islands
Published

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

More Information

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Science Overview

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023

Documents

Document

ESA-Listed Indo-Pacific Coral Species Recovery Planning Workshop Summary

Recovery planning workshop summary report that was held in May 2021 for the 15 U.S. ESA-listed Indo…

Pacific Islands
Document

15 Indo-Pacific Coral Species Recovery Outline

This document serves as an interim guidance document to direct recovery efforts for 15 Indo-Pacific…

Pacific Islands
Document

Status Review Report of 82 Candidate Coral Species Petitioned Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

On October 20, 2009, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the National Marine Fisheries…

Pacific Islands
More Documents

Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 01/30/2023