Characters: Colonies are corymbose clumps or tables with thick branches of highly variable length depending on exposure to wave action. Axial corallites are small but distinct. Radial corallites are of two sizes, crowded, and have prominent lower lips giving a scale-like appearance.
Colour: Usually pale blue-grey, green or cream, sometimes bright blue.
Similar Species: Acropora millepora, which is readily distinguished by having all radial corallite the same size. Corymbose A. pulchra has much finer radial corallites.
Habitat: Reef flats and shallow lagoons, also exposed upper reef slopes and occasionally deep water.
Abundance: Sometimes common.
Taxonomic Note: A species complex.
Taxonomic References: Wallace (1978); Veron and Wallace (1984); Wallace (1999); Veron (2000a); Wallace, Done and Muir (2012);
Identification Guides: Randall and Myers (1983); Veron (1986a); Nishihira and Veron (1995);
