Acropora millepora

*Acropora millepora*
Taxonomical systematics
	Scientific name	Acropora (Acropora) millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834)
	Synonyms	Heteropora millepora
		Madrepora convexa
		Madrepora prostrata
		Madrepora rubra
		Madrepora squamosa
		Acropora singularis
		Acropora librata
	Common names	Acropora,
	Subgenus	Acropora Oken, 1815
	Genus	Acropora Oken, 1815
	Family	Acroporidae Verrill, 1902
	Suborder	Astrocoeniina Vaughan and Wells, 1943
	Order	Scleractinia
	Subclass	Zoantharia
	Class	Anthozoa
	Phylum	Cnidaria

Phylogeny
	Closest sibling	Acropora (Acropora) spicifera
	Species group	aspera group (Wallace, 1999).
	Clade	SFAHL clade (C) (Wallace, 1999).
	Clade origination	SFAHL clade (C) origination appears to coincide with the isolation of the Indo-Pacific Tethys from the Caribbean Tethys after early to mid-Miocene (Wallace, 1999)

Geological history
	Fossil record	Pliocene, Niue

Local ecology
	Habitat	Mostly intertidally on reef flats, or in shallow subtidal area (3m or less) (Wallace, 1999).

Biological characteristics
		Zooxanthellate
		Hermatypic
	Associated organisms	Zooxanthellae: dinoflagellate symbionts of the genus Symbiodinium, most likely clade C (Wallace, 1999).
		Crabs of the genera Tetralia and Tetraloides (Wallace, 1999).
		Shrimps of the genera Coralliocaris, Jocaste, Philarius and Periclimenes (Wallace, 1999).
		Barnacles, small fish (e.g. Gobiodon, gastropods and bivalves (Wallace, 1999).
		Additionally, coral-feeding such as Chaetodon may feed on the polyps (Wallace, 1999).

	Acropora millepora at Chinaman's Reef, GBR. Depth 7.5 m.


	A. millepora at Chinaman's Reef, GBR. Depth 3 m.


	A. millepora at Chinaman's Reef, GBR. Depth 2.5 m.


	A. millepora at Osprey Reef, Coral Sea. Depth 5.5 m.

Skeletal structure
	Corallum	A centeral or side-attached base with corymbose growth. Branches up to 55 mm long and 8-15 mm in diameter with no or only a slight taper. Central branches are vertical; marginal branches curve from horizontal to vertical or oblique (Veron and Wallace, 1984; Wallace, 1999).
	Corallites	Axial coralites barely protruding.

Captive care
	Lighting	Intense (based on shallow habitat)
	Water flow	High with turbulence and/or surges (based on exposed habitat and branch thinkness)
	Feeding	Zooplankton (e.g. Copepods, Artemia nauplii), particulate organic matter (e.g. finely grated shrimp or mussel meat)
	Diseases and other maladies	"Black band disease" had been reported from A. millipora on the Great Barrier Reef (Dinsdale, 1994 in Wallace, 1999).
		"White band disease" has not so far been reported in A. millipora not from the Great Barrier Reef, but has been reported for several species in the Philippines (Wallace, 1999)
		Other maladies may be possible including: Shut-down reaction (SDR), which may be the same as Rapid Tissue Degeneration (RTD) and Bleaching.

Reproduction
	Sexual reproduction mode	Broadcast spawner (Wallace, 1999)
	Sexes	Hermaphrodite (Wallace, 1999)
	Asexual methods	Fragmentation due to storms and other physical disturbances infrequent (Wallace, 1999). Fragments can be propagated.

References
	Veron J.E.N. 2000. Corals of the World - Volumes 1, 2, 3. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia. 1382pp.
	Veron J.E.N. and Wallace C.C. 1984. Scleractinia of Eastern Australia. Part 5 Family Acroporidae. Australian Inst Mar Sci Monogr Ser VI:, . 485pp.
	Wallace C.C. 1999. Staghorn Corals of the World : A Revision of the Coral Genus Acropora. CSIRO, Collingwood, Australia. 420pp.