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Home > Species > Corals > Horastrea indica

Horastrea indica

About

Horastrea indica is a massive colonial coral species that is only found in the Western Indian Ocean on tropical reef systems off the coasts of countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar.

A combination of threats including fish bombing, disease and the impacts of climate change has reduced this species’ habitat. Specific population trends are unkown but widespread declines can be presumed.

The reproductive method of this species is currently unclear. The most common method used by reef building corals is that of broadcast spawning, however the Siderastreidae family contains a diverse group of species that have not been thoroughly studied.

  • Order: Scleractinia
  • Family: Siderastreidae
  • Trend: unknown
  • Depth Range (m): 20

EDGE Score

EDGE Score: 4.22 (?)
ED Score: 16.04 (?)
GE / IUCN Red List (?)
Not Evaluated Data Deficient Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in the Wild Extinct

Distribution

This species is only found in the southwest Indian Ocean and along the East African coast and Madagascar.

Habitat and Ecology

This species occurs in shallow, tropical reef environments, generally to depths of 20m, in sandy reef areas.

It is a colonial, stony coral species meaning that as the individual animals (polyps) of this species grow they exude calcium carbonate to form exoskeletons (corallites) for protection.

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This wordcloud illustrates the threats facing this species. The size of each word indicates the extent of a species range that is affected by that threat (larger size means a greater area is affected). The colour of the word indicates how much that threat impacts the species (darker shades of red mean the threat is more severe).

Urban development Industrial development Tourism Extreme temperatures Extreme weather Shipping Fishing Recreation Invasive species Native species Wastewater Industry Agriculture Air pollution

Threat wordcloud key:

Small area affected
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Large area affected
Least severe
Most severe
Severity unknown
Source: The IUCN List of Threatened Species. Version 2017.1.
Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org

Download the survival blueprint for this species below. Each survival blueprint is compiled by an EDGE fellow working on the species with input from collaborators and stakeholders. The survival blueprint provides a status review (information on the distribution, protection status, habitat & ecology, threat and stakeholder analysis) and more information on the action programme listed here. 

Vision (30-50 years)

Horastrea indica identified are protected and well known in terms of biology, ecology and threats

Goal (5-10 years)

Long term monitoring of H.indica in all Madagascar MPAs – National distribution of H.indica

Objectives

 Priority
Population status of the species in the north, east and south region assessed Critical
Inclusion of the species into the management strategy of each protected area and conservation plan High
Developing international and national cooperation between scientific and expert organizations working on research and conservation of coral reefs in the WIO Medium
Download the full Survival Blueprint

Radonirina Botosoamananto

  • Project name: Preliminary assessment of the population status of Horastrea indica in southwest Madagascar
  • Project site: Andavadoaka, Madagascar
  • Active: 2012 - 2014
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