Characters: Colonies are submassive, encrusting, or subarborescent. Much of this variation may occur in the same colony but some colonies are composed only of encrusting plates. Hydnophores are 5-8 millimetres diameter. Tentacles are often extended day and night; they are long and shaggy and of uniform length.
Colour: Cream or dull green.
Similar Species: Hydnophora microconos, which is massive, rounded, with smaller monticules. See also H. bonsai and H. pilosa.
Habitat: All reef environments, but especially lagoons and protected slopes.
Abundance: Common.
Taxonomic Note: A species complex.
Taxonomic References: Wijsman-Best (1972); Chevalier (1975); Veron, Pichon and Wijsman-Best (1977); Veron (2000a); Huang, Benzoni, Fukami et al. (2014);
Identification Guides: Randall and Myers (1983); Veron (1986a); Sheppard and Sheppard (1991); Nishihira and Veron (1995); Carpenter, Harrison, Hodgson et al. (1997); Pillay, Terashima, Venkatasami et al. (2002); Chan, Choi, McCorry et al. (2005); Pichon, Benzoni, Chaineau et al. (2010); Turak and DeVantier (2011b);
