Characters: Colonies are flat bifacial plates arranged in tiers or whorls. Corallites are mostly inclined on the colony surface. Coenosteum papillae are fine.
Colour: Brown, pink or dark green, usually with pale margins.
Similar Species: Astreopora myriophthalma on lower reef slopes may become laminar but A. expansa is usually distinctive.
Habitat: Shallow reef environments.
Abundance: Usually uncommon but conspicuous.
Taxonomic References: Lamberts (1982) as Astreopora explanata; Veron (2000a) as Astreopora explanata;
Identification Guides: Veron (1986a) as Astreopora explanata; Nishihira and Veron (1995) as Astreopora explanata; Turak and DeVantier (2011b);