Characters: Colonies are small, composed of contorted laminae sometimes in whorls or tiers and upright contorted branches which are irregularly fused. Corallites are immersed with irregular thecal papillae. Coenosteum papillae are numerous and are infrequently fused into ridges.
Colour: Cream, blue (which may photograph purple) or brown, often with white ridges.
Similar Species: Similar to Montipora carinata except that basal laminae are usually formed and branches and corallites are larger and coenosteum spinules form prominent ridges.
Habitat: Shallow turbid water.
Abundance: Common; sometimes a dominant species.
Taxonomic References: Veron and Wallace (1984); Veron (2000a);
Identification Guides: Veron (1986a); Nishihira and Veron (1995); Turak and DeVantier (2011b);
