Characters: Colonies are usually hemispherical or helmet-shaped and may be over 4 metres across. They commonly form ‘micro-atolls’ in intertidal habitats. The surface is usually smooth.
Colour: Usually cream or pale brown but may be bright blue, purple or green in shallow water.
Similar Species: Porites solida. See also P. australiensis, which is distinguished by having taller pali, especially on the lateral pairs of septa.
Habitat: Frequently a dominant species of back reef margins, lagoons and some fringing reefs.
Abundance: Probably the most common Porites.
Taxonomic Note: A species complex.
Taxonomic References: Wells (1954); Veron and Pichon (1982); Veron (2000a);
Identification Guides: Veron (1986a); Sheppard and Sheppard (1991); Nishihira and Veron (1995); Pillay, Terashima, Venkatasami et al. (2002); Chan, Choi, McCorry et al. (2005); Fenner (2005); Pichon, Benzoni, Chaineau et al. (2010); Turak and DeVantier (2011b);
