Description: Palau and is a complex of Islands forming the western end of the Caroline group. Most islands have fringing reefs and there are many platform reefs. A large open barrier, patch and lagoonal reef system is developed to the north and west of the main island group. It partly bridges the sea gap to the northern atoll of Kayangel and its more submerged neighbouring atoll to the north-west. Reefs have been impacted episodically by typhoons and high temperature bleaching. Corals are well studied, with a research station established on the main island of Koror, and with several major research expeditions to outlying areas. Reef waters are very clear. The ecoregion, with neighbouring Helen Reef to the south, is one of earth's largest marine protected areas

Distinguishing ecoregion characteristics: A geographically discrete ecoregion in the north-western Pacific located ca 800km east of the Philippines and separated from neighbours by broad expanses of deep oceanic waters atop the Philippines, Yap and Palau Trenches to the west, east and south respectively

Additional Information: The corals of western Micronesia form a coherent group. Palau corals have clear affinities with those of Yap, Caroline Islands and Pohnpei and Kosrae to the east (Veron, Stafford-Smith, DeVantier et al., 2015)

General Ecoregion References: Maragos and Cook (1995); Spalding, Ravilious and Green (2001); Kayanne, Omori, Fabricius et al. (2007); Yukihira, Shimoike, Golbuu et al. (2007); Goldberg, Adams, Albert et al. (2008); Turak and DeVantier (2009); Burke, Reytar, Spalding et al. (2011); Chin, Lison de Loma, Reytar et al. (2011); Veron, Stafford-Smith, DeVantier et al. (2015); Maragos (1993a);

Principal Coral Distribution References: In preparation