''Acropora rongelapensis'' is a species of branching
scleractinian
corals. It is only known from the
lagoon of
Rongelap Atoll in the
Marshall Islands, Pacific Ocean.
This coral forms colonies up to 20 cm across with main branches up to 10 cm long. It is pale brown in colour but appears white in strong light due to the dense
skeleton
A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of an animal. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside ...
. The main distinguishing feature from its
congeners is the laterally flattened branches. It occurs at depths of 28–32 m.
References
*
Acropora
Cnidarians of the Pacific Ocean
Marine fauna of Oceania
Endemic fauna of the Marshall Islands
Animals described in 2004
{{acropora-stub