Characters: Colonies are clumps of irregularly curved branches on thick encrusting bases. Axial corallites are small and thick walled. Radial corallites are of one size and have prominent lower lips giving a scale-like appearance.
Colour: Brown or blue.
Similar Species: Acropora globiceps has similar branches and corallites but lacks the extensive encrusting base. See also Acropora aspera, which may occur in similar habitats.
Habitat: Shallow reef environments exposed to wave action.
Abundance: Uncommon.
Taxonomic References: Latypov (1992); Wallace (1999); Veron (2000a); Wallace, Done and Muir (2012);
