Meandrina meandrites forms massive hemispherical heads or develops into substantial flat plates and can grow to nearly 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter.

These resemble young colonies of rose coral (Manicina areolata) and may be found in sandy or muddy areas some way off from reefs.

The raised walls between the corallites are formed from fine but widely separated transverse ridges called septa and meander over the surface of the coral.

However, the most recent assessment (2021) pushed this species to the category of Critically Endangered, under criteria A3c, based largely on predicted decline.

[5] Prior to the appearance of this disease, the species was considered fairly secure due to its ability to recover from bleaching events.