Characters: Colonies are either free-living or attached; the former have a cone-shaped undersurface. Small colonies are oval shaped and consist of a central axial valley with short side valleys. Larger colonies are hemispherical and meandroid. There is a conspicuous ambulacral groove along the tops of valley walls. Septa are thick and even.
Colour: Usually uniform pale orange-brown but may be a variety of browns, greys and greens with contrasting colours of valleys and walls.
Similar Species: Colpophyllia natans. Small colonies resemble Diploria labyrinthiformis and the species generally resembles Trachyphyllia geoffroyi.
Habitat: Subtidal seagrass beds where colonies are small and free-living, also shallow reef environments where colonies are attached and become hemispherical.
Abundance: Usually uncommon.
Taxonomic Note: Very distinct species.
Taxonomic References: Roos (1971); Best and Hoeksema (1987); Zlatarski and Estalella (1982); Veron (2000a);
Identification Guides: Humann (2002);