831 species

Favia favus

(Forskål, 1775)

Favia

Oken, 1815

Characters: Colonies are massive, rounded or flat. Corallites are conical. Septa are slightly irregular and widely spaced. Paliform lobes are poorly developed.

Colour: A wide variety, often mottled, with pale calices.

Similar Species: Favia speciosa, which has smaller, usually more compact corallites. Favia lizardensis and F. danai have corallites of similar size, but the former has more compact corallites with uniform septo-costae and colouration, and the latter has strongly beaded septo-costae. See also F. rosaria and F. maritima.

Habitat: May be a dominant species on reef back margins.

Abundance: Common.

Taxonomic Note: A species complex.

COTW History since Veron (2000a)
  • Family: All families are currently under review
  • Genus/species: No change