The Acroporidae is the largest family of corals with many species in the Marshalls and in the Pacific and includes among others the common genera Acropora, Alveopora and Montipora. Many species in the family have variable growth forms, causing some forms to look like the growth forms of other species. They can be difficult to tell apart from photos, especially if not taken close enough to determine the shapes of the individual polyps. Many or even most of our species, whether or not they use the "cf" (compare) in the filemane, are identified only tentatively and should not be taken as the final word.
