Acropora aspera is a scantily branching, colonial coral forming low clumps.

The corallites, the little stony cups from which the polyps grow, vary in size and are crowded closely together.

It inhabits reef flats and lagoons and grows in water up to 5 metres (16 ft) deep.

This was thought to be due to the greater cloud cover and larger amount of suspended sediment during that season resulting in reduced levels of photosynthesis.

It is particularly prone to bleaching, a process in which high sea temperatures or stress cause the coral to expel its zooxanthellae and turn white.