Acropora kosurini

Acropora kosurini is a stony coral belonging to the family Acroporidae, a group known for building the branching and tabular structures that form the physical foundation of reef ecosystems. Like other Acropora species, it is a colonial organism composed of many small polyps that secrete calcium carbonate skeletons, growing into complex formations that provide shelter and habitat for reef fish, invertebrates, and other marine life. Its growth pattern makes it a significant contributor to reef architecture and overall reef resilience.

This species occurs in the Indo-Pacific region, with recorded populations in Australia, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, the Maldives, Thailand, and Kenya. It inhabits marine neritic zones — the shallow, nutrient-rich waters over continental shelves — where light penetration supports the symbiotic algae essential to coral growth.

The species faces a broad range of ongoing pressures. Fishing and harvesting activities, along with recreational use of reef areas, cause direct physical damage. Water quality is degraded by domestic and urban wastewater, agricultural runoff, and effluents from non-timber crop production, all of which promote algal overgrowth and reduce coral health.

Invasive species, disease, and outbreaks of problematic native species such as crown-of-thorns starfish add further stress, compounded by habitat shifting linked to broader environmental change.

Conservation efforts for Acropora corals generally include marine protected area designation, water quality management, coral restoration and propagation programs, and monitoring of disease and bleaching events across its range countries.

Given the combination of sustained anthropogenic pressures and a documented decreasing population trend, Acropora kosurini remains classified as Endangered, with its long-term recovery dependent on sustained reductions in cumulative reef stressors.