About Porites compressa Dana, 1846
Porites compressa Dana, 1846 is typically pale brown or grey in color. Its growth form varies with water depth: colonies in shallow water resemble knobbly boulders, while those in deeper water grow in a more columnar shape. This coral has cylindrical branches that often fuse together. It grows at a slow rate, but frequently develops into large colonies that can reach up to 1000 years of age. Porites compressa is a zooxanthellate coral, meaning it hosts symbiotic unicellular zooxanthellae within its tissues that provide the coral with energy. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific region, the Red Sea, and the East African coast. It is common around Hawaii, where it grows on reefs and in lagoons, in relatively undisturbed water down to a depth of 30 metres (98 ft). It is the dominant coral species in Kaneohe Bay, and sometimes forms monospecific stands.
