Characters: Colonies are upright bushes or cushion-like. Main branches have secondary and tertiary sub-branches. Axial corallites are conspicuous and dome-shaped but not elongate. Radial corallites are bead- or pocket-like. All corallites have thick walls.
Colour: Usually cream or brown, sometimes bright blue or pink.
Similar Species: Acropora loripes, which has tubular axial corallites which may be naked on one side, and more widely spaced radial corallites.
Habitat: Shallow reef environments.
Abundance: Sometimes common.
Taxonomic Note: Wallace (1999) designated a lectotype, and considered it similar to Acropora loripes. These species require further taxonomic study. As illustrated here they can be separated by the more rounded to bead-like radial corallites of A. rosaria.
Taxonomic References: Wallace (1978); Veron (2000a); Wallace (1999);
Identification Guides: Nishihira and Veron (1995);
