Look closely at the branches: their wart-like bumps give Pocillopora verrucosa its distinctive outline.
- Local names
- Pukakana
- Habitat
- Lagoon and reef
About this species
This branching coral is often described in shades of pink or reddish rose. Rounded projections of different sizes cover its branches. Its living tissues and symbiotic algae contribute to the colour; the limestone skeleton underneath is pale.
The Society’s guide places it in clear, sheltered water from the shallows to about 20 m and records growth estimates of 1–4 cm a year. As with other reef-building corals, algae living in the tissues supply energy through photosynthesis.