Pocillopora acuta is a branching scleractinian coral (family Pocilloporidae) widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific, forming compact, warty colonies with characteristic verrucae (surface projections) that are diagnostic of the genus. It is an ecologically important pioneer and early-successional coral species capable of rapidly colonizing disturbed reef areas and is frequently used in coral restoration efforts. The species harbors diverse Symbiodiniaceae communities and shows high phenotypic plasticity across environmental gradients. Genomic data have been generated for this species and are available in public databases, enabling comparative studies of cnidarian evolution and ecology.