On the coral surface there are shallow, meandering valleys about 22 mm (0.9 in) wide separated by convoluted ridges topped with a central, pale-coloured line.

It occurs on both back and fore reef slopes, on rocks, in lagoons and among seagrasses at depths down to about 15 metres (49 ft).

This coral is a zooxanthellate species, which means that it harbours symbiotic dinoflagellates (unicellular algae) in its tissues.

It is reported to attack other corals or sponges in its close vicinity using an extracoelentric feeding mechanism in which specialised filament-like tentacles extend onto the living tissues of the neighbouring organisms, secreting enzymes which digest them in situ.

It is prone to bleaching, when a coral expels its zooxanthellae under stressful conditions, to black band disease, and to white plague.