831 species

Pavona varians

Verrill, 1864

Pavona

Lamarck, 1801

Characters: Colonies are submassive, laminar or encrusting or various combinations of these. Corallites are in short irregular valleys, or are aligned between ridges perpendicular to margins, or are irregularly distributed on flat surfaces. Septo-costae are in alternating orders.

Colour: Yellow, green or brown.

Similar Species: Pavona venosa, which has similar corallites but walls between valleys (collines) are acute, septa are generally in three orders, columellae are less developed and septa more widely spaced.

Habitat: Most reef environments.

Abundance: Common.

COTW History since Veron (2000a)
  • Family: All families are currently under review
  • Genus/species: No change