Alveopora fenestrata

Alveopora fenestrata is a colonial stony coral belonging to the order Scleractinia. Colonies form rounded or encrusting structures composed of polyps with characteristically twelve tentacles, each tipped with a small knob, giving colonies a soft, textured appearance distinct from many other reef-building corals. Like other scleractinians, it hosts symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that supply energy through photosynthesis, while the coral itself contributes calcium carbonate skeleton to reef structure, providing habitat complexity for fish and invertebrates.

The species occurs across a wide swath of the Indo-Pacific, with records spanning Kenya and Saudi Arabia in the west to French Polynesia and the Marshall Islands in the east, and from Japan and Taiwan south to Australia and New Zealand's outlying territories. It inhabits shallow marine neritic waters, typically on reef flats, slopes, and lagoons.

Its population is declining due to a combination of pressures. Sediment and nutrient loading from agricultural runoff and domestic wastewater degrade water quality, while fishing and harvesting activities, including destructive practices, damage reef substrate. Recreational activities near reefs add physical disturbance, and invasive species and disease outbreaks, along with pressure from native predators such as crown-of-thorns starfish, further stress colonies.

Habitat shifting linked to broader environmental change compounds these localized impacts.

Conservation efforts rely largely on the network of marine protected areas across its range, water quality regulation, and international monitoring through the IUCN Red List, which currently classifies the species as Endangered. Species-specific interventions remain limited. Given the breadth and persistence of ongoing threats across its range, the population trend is expected to continue decreasing without stronger reef management and water quality controls.