Milne Edwards and Haime, 1849
Type species: Madracis asperula Milne Edwards and Haime, 1850
Total number of species estimated: 1
Characteristics: The only reef-dwelling species in the Indo-Malayan area, Madracis kirbyi Veron and Pichon, 1976, is zooxanthellate. Corals encrusting, foliaceous, and eventually with columnar, club-shaped upright branches and with wart-like protuberances. Polyps evenly distributed and closely packed on immersed calices with a distinct solid columella. Colour brown with purple or green (Veron and Pichon, 1976).
Ecology: Rare, also occurring in non-reefal environments.
Range: Zooxantellate species in tropical West Pacific (including Indonesia) and western Atlantic; azooxathellate species also in temperate waters.
Additional remarks: Specimens of Madracis kirbyi Veron and Pichon, 1976 with columnar branches resemble Goniopora corals with small polyps. If encrusting, it resembes Stylocoeniella spp.
Key references: Veron and Pichon, 1976; Veron, 1986, 2000.