Characters: Colonies are hemispherical to flat. Valleys average 20-25 millimetres wide, and are irregularly meandroid, becoming straight in flat colonies. Walls have a moderately thick fleshy appearance and usually have a groove along the top.
Colour: A wide range of red, grey and green, with valleys and walls usually of contrasting colours. Red Sea colonies are usually cream.
Similar Species: Symphyllia radians has valleys and septa intermediate in size between the smaller S. recta and the larger S. agaricia. S. recta has more sinuous valleys, S. agaricia has a double row of columellae.
Habitat: Upper reef slopes and fringing reefs.
Abundance: Common.
Taxonomic Note: A species complex.
Taxonomic References: Chevalier (1975); Veron and Pichon (1980); Veron (2000a);
Identification Guides: Veron (1986a); Sheppard and Sheppard (1991); Nishihira and Veron (1995); Coles (1996); Pichon, Benzoni, Chaineau et al. (2010); Turak and DeVantier (2011b);
