Acropora batunai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acropora batunai |
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Acropora batunai is a type of coral that was first described by Carden Wallace in 1997. This coral lives in protected, shallow coral reefs in the ocean. It can be found at depths of up to 44 metres (144 feet).
The Acropora batunai is considered a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. This means its population is shrinking, and it is at risk of disappearing. This coral is also very delicate and fragile. While it can be found in a large area, it is not very common overall.
About This Coral
What It Looks Like
Acropora batunai corals grow in shapes that look like cushions or flat tables. These structures can be about 35 millimetres (1.4 inches) thick and up to 1.25 metres (4.1 feet) wide.
The coral can be grey, blue, pale brown, or sometimes pink or brown-white. It has long, flat branches that often have smaller branches pointing upwards. These can form a table-like shape. It has tiny, tube-like structures called corallites, which are like little homes for its polyps. These corallites are small and sharp. The ones on the sides are arranged like a bottlebrush. The central corallites are about 0.6 to 1 millimetre (0.02 to 0.04 inches) wide on the outside.
This coral is similar to Acropora microclados and Acropora rambleri. Acropora batunai uses its polyps to catch tiny ocean creatures called plankton for food.
Where It Lives
Acropora batunai is not a common coral. It lives in the Indo-Pacific region. You can find it in countries like Fiji, Ponape, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It prefers sheltered, shallow reefs.
While it can live as deep as 44 metres (144 feet), it is most often found on reef slopes. Here it lives at depths between 10 to 40 metres (33 to 131 feet). It might even be found as shallow as 1 metre (3.3 feet) deep.
This coral is very fragile and faces many threats. These include the overall shrinking of coral reefs around the world. Rising ocean temperatures can cause coral bleaching, where corals turn white and can die. Diseases also harm them. Another threat is being eaten by predators like the Acanthaster planci, also known as the crown-of-thorns starfish.
Some groups of Acropora batunai live in special places called Marine Protected Areas. These areas help keep them safe. Because its numbers are decreasing, it is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. It is also protected by an international agreement called CITES (Appendix II).
How It Was Discovered
The Acropora batunai species was first named and described by a scientist named Carden Wallace. This happened in 1997 in Indonesia.
