Acropora derawaensis

Lore & Background

Acropora derawanensis forms upright or occasionally prostrate bush-like colonies of tangled slender branches, growing to about a metre in diameter. Its axial corallites are elongated and tubular, while the radial corallites are smaller, also tubular or pocket-shaped, with angular edges. The coral is usually reddish-brown, with contrasting white or bluish axial corallites.

This species is native to the eastern Indian Ocean and the western central Pacific Ocean, with a range extending from Malaysia and Indonesia to the Philippines, northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. It inhabits various reef habitats but is most common on sheltered reef slopes at depths between 10 and 25 metres.

The reefs on which Acropora derawanensis lives are under threat from global warming, increased ocean acidification and reef destruction. It is a generally uncommon species and is particularly susceptible to bleaching and coral diseases, as well as predation by crown-of-thorns starfish.

Reader's Guide

Acropora derawanensis is notable primarily for its endangered conservation status and its particular vulnerability to environmental stressors. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as an endangered species, reflecting the threats posed by global warming, ocean acidification, and reef destruction. Its susceptibility to coral bleaching, disease, and crown-of-thorns starfish predation further compounds its risk. The species is generally uncommon across its range, which spans the eastern Indian Ocean and western central Pacific Ocean, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, northern Australia, and Papua New Guinea. It is most frequently found on sheltered reef slopes at depths of 10 to 25 metres. The coral's physical characteristics—upright or prostrate bush-like colonies of tangled slender branches, with elongated tubular axial corallites and smaller tubular or pocket-shaped radial corallites—distinguish it within the acroporid group. Its reddish-brown coloration with contrasting white or bluish axial corallites is also a identifying feature. The species' legacy lies in its role as an indicator of reef health, given its high sensitivity to bleaching and disease, and its inclusion on the IUCN Red List underscores the broader crisis facing coral reef ecosystems worldwide.