Characters: Colonies are compact bushes with delicate upright branches forming thickets. Branches form at acute angles. Axial corallites are long and tubular. Radial corallites are tubular. They are long near branch tips, usually becoming shorter towards branch bases.
Colour: Commonly cream or brown with pink or blue tips. Radial corallites and coenosteum are commonly have contrasting colours.
Similar Species: Acropora halmaherae.
Habitat: Shallow protected reef environments, especially lagoons.
Abundance: Sometimes common and may be a dominant species.
Taxonomic Note: Acropora parilis was considered a valid species by Veron (2000a), and despite uncertainty surrounding the type specimens, is retained here on the basis of both the description of Quelch (1886) and original fieldwork. Wallace (1999) designated a lectotype at the BM(NH), a small fragment from Tahiti, and considered Acropora parilis a potential junior synonym of A. horrida. However the type locality of this specimen is uncertain because of conflicting labels included with the specimen which nominate both the Philippines and Tahiti. Quelch had a number of fragments in his collection but the description and figured specimen is listed with the locality “Samboangan, Philippines, 10 fathoms; Tahiti (?)”. This appears to be the same specimen later described by Brook (1897) with Tahiti as locality.
Taxonomic References: Veron (2000a);
Identification Guides: Nishihira and Veron (1995);
