NOAA lists 20 coral species as threatened under the endangered species act.

[Scythanith]

Originally Posted by MitchM

I would be interested to hear how they intend to identify the various acropora species that are listed.
Depending on the acro's environment, the coral skeleton may develop differently.
An acropora that develops in a lower light, lower water flow environment can have a different skeleton growth pattern than one that develops in a high light, high water flow environment.

Unfortunately it won't matter. The customs/border agent see's a "stick like" coral and holds up the shipment for a CWS agent to come and look at it. By the time CWS gets there to look at it it's like been a couple days and the coral will be dead. The risk to store owners/importers will become too great.