Astraeosmilia maxima

Appearance

Colony: massive, usually small. Corallites with well defined walls. Regular septa, thickened at the wall with distinct paliform lobes forming a crown around the columella. Polyps may be fleshy. Color: brown or yellow-brown, with dull green or white oral discs

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific

Habitat

Reef-associated; depth range 0 - 35 m

Reproduction

Members of the class Anthozoa are either gonochoric or hermaphroditic. Mature gametes are shed into the coelenteron and spawned through the mouth. Life cycle: The zygote develops into a planktonic planula larva. Metamorphosis begins with early morphogenesis of tentacles, septa and pharynx before larval settlement on the aboral end.