Colonies of Alveopora verrilliana are composed of a number of irregularly arranged lobes.

The corallites are up to 2 millimetres (0.08 in) in diameter, and the septa bear short, blunt spines.

The colonies are usually greenish-brown, dark brown or grey, sometimes with contrasting pale oral surfaces or tentacle tips.

[2] It obtains most of its nutritional needs from the symbiotic dinoflagellates that live inside its soft tissues.

The main threats faced by corals are related to climate change; the mechanical destruction of their coral reef habitats, increasing damage from extreme weather events, rising sea water temperatures and ocean acidification.