▁from ▁the ▁Red ▁Sea ▁through ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁This ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁species ▁throughout ▁its ▁wide ▁range ▁and ▁the ▁International ▁Union ▁for ▁Conserv ation ▁of ▁Nature ▁has ▁r ated ▁its ▁conservation ▁status ▁as ▁being ▁of ▁" le ast ▁concern ". ▁ ▁Description ▁Col on ies ▁of ▁F av ites ▁pent ag ona ▁are ▁enc rust ing ▁or ▁massive , ▁sometimes ▁with ▁lo bes ▁forming ▁irregular ▁columns . ▁The ▁col ony ▁may ▁spread ▁to ▁about ▁a ▁met re ▁( yard ) ▁across . ▁The ▁cor all ites ▁are ▁less ▁than ▁ ▁in ▁diameter . ▁The ▁cor all ite ▁walls ▁are ▁sharp ly - ang led ▁and ▁thin , ▁and ▁several ▁poly ps ▁may ▁share ▁a ▁common ▁wall . ▁The ▁p all iform ▁lo bes ▁are ▁clearly ▁visible ▁on ▁the ▁or al ▁disc ▁and ▁there ▁are ▁a ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁sept a . ▁This ▁cor al ▁is ▁often ▁v ivid ly ▁col oured , ▁with ▁contrast ing ▁( o ften ▁green ) ▁or al ▁disc s ▁and ▁brown , ▁red ▁or ▁pur ple ▁co en os arc , ▁the ▁living ▁t issue ▁that ▁covers ▁the ▁ske leton ▁between ▁the ▁poly ps . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁F av ites ▁pent ag ona ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁the ▁Ind o - P ac ific ▁region ▁where ▁it ▁occurs ▁in ▁shall ow ▁tropical ▁and ▁subt rop ical ▁se as . ▁Its ▁range ▁extends ▁from ▁the ▁Red ▁Sea ▁and ▁South ▁Africa ▁to ▁India , ▁Indones ia , ▁Japan ▁and ▁Australia , ▁where ▁it ▁occurs ▁both