Genus Porites Link, 1807

Characters of the genus. Colonial, coralla encrusting, submassive, massive or ramose. Skeleton porous in all its parts resulting from growth and fusion of trabeculae and synapticulae. Corallites small, calices diameter between 0.5 and 2 mm. Septa 12 in number, arranged in four lateral pairs, a ventral triplet, and a dorsal septum opposed to the triplet. Septa connected by visible synapticulae and bearing denticles on their margin. Columella present or absent. Pali usually present. Coenosteum present or absent.