ID Please

[BigReepher]

I picked this frag up yesterday. It came from a plating/scrolling cap looking colony that the guy had been growing out for the last six years. He didn't have any idea what it was and neither does the LFS. Does anyone have any idea what this is or point me in the right direction? TIA

 

[BigReepher]

Here's another.

 

[UnderWaterParadise]

Looks like a Plating form of Hydraphorna ( i know I butchered the spelling)

 

[NaH2O]

I'll take a stab and say Tubinaria spp. I was flipping thru JEN Veron's book, and came across this: Turbinaria mesenterina (this is actually the same info as in the Corals of the World book). Here is another picture: Turbinaria mesenterina, and finally more info Dendrophylliidae (you'll have to scroll down some to find it). If you want to get searching a little more, check out the CoralSearch Page. I'd like to see a pic from the top down, and when its opened up. Looks like a nice piece....what size is it?

 

[mps9506]

Is the surface fleshy or hard? It is a bit diffcult to tell from the picture exactly what it could be. Best to take a picture of it with the polyps retracted to get a loks at the skeleton.
I don't think it is Tubinaria however.
Mike

 

[NaH2O]

Mike - any guesses as to the genus you are thinking? or why you don't think it is Turbinaria spp? I looked up based on the coral growth shape first to narrow down the choices. I actually thought the photo was with polyps retracted. Nate, can you get a better close-up pic, showing the "bumpy thingys" from above? Thanks

 

[geofloors]

Looks like Hydnophora to me also. Montiporas never have that much flesh.


George

 

[mps9506]

ell, first off, I know it's not the correct way to ID things, but I have never seen such a green specimen of tubinaria
Second, the tubinaria has a smooth skeleton and tissue between the corallites. This definately has a bumpy texture between the corallites. If this is from the skelton or the flesh I don't now.

From the growth form it sounds ike a montipora sp. but from the picture it appears to be hydnophora. It could also be a merulina sp.

 

[NaH2O]

ell, first off, I know it's not the correct way to ID things

Sorry - I was "taking a stab", and trying to come up with possibilities. Perhaps, you can tell me how to correctly identify a coral, so I don't make the same mistakes again.

 

[BigReepher]

Thanks everyone for helping me find out what this is. The "bumpy thingys" are soft and they retract into ridges in the skeleton. The frag is 2 1/2 X 3 inches with a thick but porous skeleton. Sorry I didn't include any other details or tell more about the piece Nikki. So far I'd have to say it does have some of the characteristics of a hydnophora. I haven't been able to find any plating hydnophora yet though. I'll take some better pictures when I get back from taking the kids to school.

 

[mps9506]

I hadn't found any hydnophora sp. that plate either. That's why I am hesitant to call it hydnophora. I suspect Merulina or something in that family.

 

[NaH2O]

Thanks, Nate. I didn't envision the "bumps" as fleshy, but hard. I looked at some different Hydnophora spp. and the one that appears similar, in my opinion, is this one: Hydnophora exesa. One picture the link is lacking, that is available in Veron's text is a close-up shot of the tentacles partly extended. Also, a larger picture of the tentacles, in the beginning of the families section. Also, it says that some colonies of this species can be composed only of plates. Anyway, sorry nate, for my error - at least it was a way of elimination.

 

[UnderWaterParadise]

A buddy of mine got a huge plating Hydnophora a few months ago, and I have seen several others

I hadn't found any hydnophora sp. that plate either. That's why I am hesitant to call it hydnophora. I suspect Merulina or something in that family.

 

[BigReepher]

Thanks Nikki, the H.exesa also has some similarities as well as the H.bonsai, but the skeleton is different. Here are some more and hopefully better pics. It's definately unlike anything I've seen.

 

[BigReepher]

and another....hope this works

1st one is partially retracted, the 2nd is a macro, 3rd is the back of the frag, and last is a full extension pic. I'm still mystified.

 

[reefgeek]

i dont know

GIVE ME SOME

 

[NaH2O]

Nate - I wanted to share a couple of things I have learned since this thread started regarding coral identification.

The first is stated by JEN Veron regarding reef aquaria:

The identification of aquarium-raised corals is a difficult and sometimes impossible task. Over time, most coral colonies become unnaturally colourful due to the accumulation of zooxanthellae in their tissues in response to low levels of photosynthetic light. They also assume growth-forms which are sometimes seen in the wild, but ususally only in deep water that may be unusual for the species. The most common growth-form abnormalities are increases in the amount of soft tissue (especially in free-living fungiids and mussids) and unusual development of corallites, such as on one side of branches of Acropora.

Also, I posed a question on another board about coral identification. Eric Borneman was nice enough to offer me some insight:

(posted on another board)

unless the species is very obvious - like Acropora palmata, Catalaphyllia, A. florida, Trachyphyllia, etc., just don't even try it. ESPECIALLY with Acropora, Montipora, faviids, and Porites. I'm going to do a taxonomy workshop at this year's MACNA I think (so have been asked) - and we can do a rundown on the methods here, but long and short of it is when someone tells me they have an Acropora whateverensis I just roll my eyes.

I mentioned to someone while I was up there, that there is a really nice little pocket guide to field ID of living Acropora to the sub-genus group. it costs about five dollars, and proceeds go to charity. Its called Acropora staghorn corals: A "getting to know you" and identification guide published by OceanNEnvironment (www oceannenvironment.com.au. Its the best quick guide outside being a geek with Wallace's big book or Veron.

A lot of hobbyists think that by saying or thinking they know the species they sound cool, but to anyone who knows how hard it is to ID corals, much less living and small aquarium corals where are the diagnostic features are covered in tissue, it just shows foolishness. Case in major point - mail order coral vendors. What a joke!

 

[submariner]

Here is a photo of a Plating Hydnophora that I have in my 30 gal nano reef. you can use it for comparison to your frag. it is actually more neon green than the photo. Hope this helps.