About Turbinaria stellulata (Lamarck, 1816)
Turbinaria stellulata is a zooxanthellate stony coral species that typically maintains a submassive growth form with encrusting margins, and does not develop significant vertical structures. Its individual corallites measure approximately 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) in diameter and have thick walls. As a zooxanthellate coral, it hosts symbiotic dinoflagellates within its tissues. The color of this coral is usually some shade of brown or green, though other colors occasionally appear depending on the specific species of symbiont living in the coral. Colonies of this species form dome-shaped structures that grow to around 50 centimeters (20 inches) in diameter. This coral is native to the Indo-Pacific region, where its range extends from the Red Sea and Madagascar east to tropical Australia, southern Japan, and the South China Sea. It inhabits upper reef slopes at depths between 2 and 15 meters (6 to 50 feet). Unlike other species in the genus Turbinaria, Turbinaria stellulata generally avoids turbid water.
