Characters: Colonies are usually less than one metre across. They have a wide range of submassive, nodular, columnar and branching growth-forms on a broad encrusting base.
Colour: Commonly dark brown, also pink or blue.
Similar Species: Porites compressa, which has distinct corallite characters. See also P. nodifera, which has a similar growth-form.
Habitat: Shallow fringing reefs.
Abundance: Locally common and may be a dominant species.
Taxonomic References: Scheer and Pillai (1983) as Porites compressa; Veron (2000a); Veron (2002a);
Identification Guides: Carpenter, Harrison, Hodgson et al. (1997) as Porites compressa; Pichon, Benzoni, Chaineau et al. (2010);