Anacropora matthaii

Anacropora matthaii is a colonial stony coral in the family Acroporidae, distinguished by its delicate, branching growth form composed of small, thin-walled tubes extending upward from a central base. Like other scleractinian corals, it secretes a calcium carbonate skeleton and hosts symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) within its tissues, which provide the coral with energy through photosynthesis while the coral offers shelter and nutrients in return. This relationship enables the coral to contribute to reef-building processes, and its branching structure provides microhabitat complexity that shelters small invertebrates and fish.

The species occurs in shallow marine and neritic waters across the Indo-Pacific, with records from Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Micronesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Taiwan, China, Palau, and Fiji. It typically inhabits reef flats, lagoons, and other sheltered, shallow-water reef environments.

The species faces a combination of pressures common to reef-building corals in this region. Sediment and nutrient loading from agricultural runoff and untreated domestic wastewater degrade water quality, while unspecified pollution sources compound these effects. Coastal habitat alteration, destructive fishing and harvesting practices, and recreational activities such as diving and anchoring cause direct physical damage.

Outbreaks of predatory or competing native species, along with disease, add further mortality, and broader habitat shifts linked to changing ocean conditions threaten long-term reef stability.

Conservation efforts rely largely on broader coral reef management frameworks, including marine protected areas, fisheries regulations, and water quality initiatives within its range countries, rather than species-specific programs. Monitoring occurs mainly through general reef surveys rather than targeted population assessments. With multiple ongoing threats and no evidence of population recovery, the species' trajectory remains one of continued decline, consistent with its Vulnerable status.