About Pavona decussata (Dana, 1846)
Pavona decussata forms submassive colonies that usually have leafy appendages or branches. These leaves are between 3 and 10 millimetres (0.1 and 0.4 inches) thick, and bear corallites on both sides. The corallites are between 2 and 3 millimetres (0.08 and 0.12 inches) in diameter, most often scattered irregularly, but sometimes arranged in rows parallel to leaf margins or radial ridges. Colony colour varies, and may be greenish, a shade of brown, orange, or creamy yellow.
This coral species is native to the western and central Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from East Africa and the Red Sea to Japan, the East China Sea, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia. It is a fairly common species that occurs in a variety of reef habitats, especially on sloping surfaces, at depths down to around 15 metres (50 ft).
