New SPS... ID please?

[Playa]

Using our own research tool:-) Montipora Danae
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/photos_...&what=&name=&=

Here is a Danae for sale at RM
http://www.reefermadness.us/RMD03310158.htm

On this link there are severa pictures of Montipora Danae specimens:
1st picture, 2nd picture, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th,

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=291241

Montipora Danae

http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch...0pages/251.htm

Here is one last link to a Danae from Reef farmers

http://www.reeffarmers.com/wavesmarinemontipora.htm

[Curtswearing]

Luis,

Thanks for confirming it was a Montipora verruculosus LOL.

I think you are probably right. Both are related and have so many similarities but I think you might have hit the nail on the head. ID'ing SPS can be challenging at times. However, Veron said Montipora Danae has larger, less evenly spaced verrucae and larger corallites.

[Playa]

Curt to ID a coral coral the way we are doing it, is just for fun:-)

It is nearly impossible on certain specimens that have similarities with others(like this being one of the cases)to accurately determining the name unless you are looking at a dead bone and other pieces of info(original place of harvest and so on)

:-) so we are just having fun:-) IMHO

Luis

[addict]

Wow... thanks for helping me out, you guys...

I've looked over the different Montipora species you mentioned, and though it bears some resemblence, I think we were closer in the Acropora efflorescens family...
Maybe I have some ultra-rare coral...
The main thing that makes me think it isn't a Montipora species is that the vertical corallite growth is quite prevalent, rather than just being a small grouping in the middle... it's actually toward the edges, with the smaller corallites being toward the center.
Attached is a bit more of a close-up shot of the rim closest to the front.

[addict]

And here's an overhead shot from a different angle than the first... it's quite a unique coral whatever it is.

[Cosmic]

I'm going to stick my original guess of acropora efflo now that we've seen some great examples of danae growth forms. I don't think it's in the monti family, although I may still be wrong on this one.

You mentioned your wife seeing polyps? Were the ployps coming from the tips of the corallites (bumps), or from the valleys? This would help quite a bit I think in the ID process.

IMO, this is an acro (of sorts, efflo possibly) that was grown in a low current environment and was beginning to finally get out into the current, shown by short branches along the one edge. As mentioned, JMHO though
As Playa mentioned, without a bleached remnant of coral skeleton and a microscope, absolute identification will be next to impossible, so all in fun.

Cos

[addict]

Heya Cos... thanks again for helping me ID this thing...
The polyps come out from the valleys in between the corallites, not from the tips of the 'bumps'.

I've also posted a thread in Eric Borneman's Coral Forum over at RC, so we'll see if he can give it a shot...
Mainly, I'd at least like to know what Genus it's from... since I realize that exact species ID is probably next to impossible.

Thanks again.

[Cosmic]

Well, if the polyps are coming out in the valleys, I'm going to have to change my mind and agree that it is a species of montipora....LOL

Sorry

[addict]

That's okay... I truly appreciate the help.

Once you pointed out that little tidbit I also stopped thinking that it was an Acro spp.
It's one of the weirdest Montipora that I've ever seen...

Thanks again.

[ReefLady]

Possibly ....

>Montipora verrucosa<

>Montipora meandrina< is another thought.

Could also be >Montipora capitata<

Whatever it is, it's nice!

[addict]

Thanks Teri!

Wow, that's a tough one... the verrucosa and capitata are both so close...
The meandrina has more freeform corallites than mine, which has small rounded nodules, even on the columnar growth.

At least I've somewhat narrowed it down to two different species... I don't know if I can do much better than that.

Let's just hope it colors up well... it seems to be turning pinker already, but that could just be psychological.

[geofloors]

It's definitely a montipora sp. It can't be an acropora because there are no axial corallites. I think it's montipora verrocussa.


George

[wooddood]

well everyone has given you alot of id's dave but im gonna have to say it's [you ready?] an awesome piece lol what ever it is lets just call it a keeper