Porites napopora coral. Credit: Charlie Veron
Porites napopora coral. Credit: Charlie Veron
About the Species
Porites napopora coral. Credit: Charlie Veron
Porites napopora coral. Credit: Charlie Veron
Porites napopora is likely found in the Coral Triangle area (the Philippines to Timor Leste and east to the Solomon Islands), as well as adjacent areas throughout the South China Sea, southern Japan, and parts of Micronesia.
Porites napopora is listed as threatened throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act.
Learn more about Porites napopora (PDF, 3 pages)
Population Status
Relative localized abundance refers to how commonly a species is observed on surveys in a localized area. Veron (2014) reports that Porites napopora occupied 2.6 percent of 2,984 dive sites sampled in 30 ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific. It was given an abundance rating on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) at each site where it occurred, based on how common it was at that site. Porites napopora had a mean abundance rating of 1.79. Based on this semi-quantitative system, the species’ abundance was characterized as “uncommon.”
Absolute overall abundance refers to a rough qualitative minimum estimate of the total number of colonies of a species that currently exist throughout its range. These estimates were calculated based on results from Richards et al. (2008) and Veron (2014). The absolute abundance of Porites napopora is likely at least millions of colonies.
Protected Status
Appearance
Colonies of Porites napopora have irregular clumps of tapered, irregularly fused branches and are brown in color with white corallite centers.
Where They Live
Based on confirmed observations and strong predictions of occurrence in areas that have not yet been surveyed sufficiently, Porites napopora is likely distributed mostly within the Coral Triangle area (the Philippines to Timor Leste and east to the Solomon Islands), as well as adjacent areas throughout the South China Sea, southern Japan, and parts of Micronesia.
Porites napopora occurs in at least upper reef slopes, mid-slopes, lower reef crests, reef flats, and lagoons in depths of 3 to 15 meters.
World map providing approximate representation of the Porites napopora coral's range
Lifespan & Reproduction
The reproductive characteristics of Porites napopora have not been determined. Other species of Porites have been described as gonochoristic (individual colonies have either male or female gametes, not both) broadcast spawners (expelling gametes for external fertilization), gonochoric (individual colonies have either male or female gametes, not both) brooders (expelling sperm but egg fertilization is internal), or hermaphroditic (having both male and female gametes) brooders.
Threats
Ocean Warming
A significant proportion of its current known geographic range is within the Coral Triangle area. This area is projected to have the most rapid and severe impacts from climate change and localized human impacts for coral reefs over the 21st century. Multiple ocean warming events have already occurred within the western equatorial Pacific (which includes the Coral Triangle area) that suggest future ocean warming events may be more severe than average in this part of the world.
Scientific Classification
Animalia |
Cnidaria |
Anthozoa |
Scleractinia |
Poritidae |
Porites |
napopora |
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 04/29/2022