[Originally posted to the Moorea Coral Reef LTER (MCR LTER) Marine Life Encyclopedia]

Rosette Coral or Rice Coral
(Montipora spp.)

Photo by J. O'Donnell. Text by Gerick Bergsma.

Montipora has highly plastic morphology, meaning that the shape it takes is highly variable from colony to colony, and often depends on its physical environment. In shallow back reefs, Montipora often form flat plates, or simply crusts over the surface in which it is growing. In deeper, fore reef environments, it can take the form of "rosettes", large spiraling flower like forms, often several meters in diameter.


	Throughout the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, New Guinea, Japan, Philippines, Micronesia, Hawaii, Pitcarin and French Polynesia.

	Common on fore reef, reef flat and lagoon habitats.

	Montipora receive energy from sunlight via photosynthetic symbionts (zooxanthellae) and plankton captured using stinging cells.

	There are many species of Montipora, which are generally quick to establish and fast growing.

	- Wikipedia - Gerick Bergsma's PhD Research - What are Corals? - Moorea Biocode Database