Coral ID Please

[yellojello]

Bottom Left Stubby one on brown disc, 3 1/2 months ago:

Today:

 

[r0ck0]

looks like an orange Montipora digitata

http://www.google.com/images?q=Montipora+digitata

edit: is that a metal frag rack? wth, my metal shower rack rusted after 2 weeks in the shower how does that last in saltwater?

 

[seminolecpa]

+1 for digi.

 

[GreshamH]

M. digitata is not the only Montipora that has that growth form. It's just like the case of M. capricornis (scrolling montis all getting lumped as "caps"). For the digi it has to do with the spacing of the coralites IIRC>

 

[yellojello]

Thanks. I've heard of Digitata's (funky name), but never knew what they were. If not that, then Montipora something.

 

[seminolecpa]

It actually is a montipora. Montipora Digitata

 

[GreshamH]

It actually is a montipora. Montipora Digitata

How were you able to rule out the others, like... M. Samarensis or M. porites? I would say a great deal of M. digitata are NOT M. digitata but rather M. samerensis.

 

[seminolecpa]

Cause I am smart and I pulled it out of my butt.

 

[GreshamH]

So your just guessing then????

 

[bookfish]

I believe a lot of what is sold as digi isn't even montipora but porites instead. Just to make things completely obtuse...

 

[GreshamH]

I believe a lot of what is sold as digi isn't even montipora but porites instead. Just to make things completely obtuse...

This is true, very true. I used to have to re-ID most of what we imported as digi. More then half was porites. SI used to send us like 3/4 porites on our digi orders.

 

[seminolecpa]

Aren't we all just guessing on an id?

 

[Gomer]

Aren't we all just guessing on an id?

Unless you are one of the lucky people with digital xray vision to examine the skeleton....of which I am

 

[GreshamH]

Well if you really want to get into that deep conversation, yes, they reclassifying corals left and right as they get deeper and deeper into the DNA of corals.

I think a lot of people simply guess off the growth form which is a very common and miss leading practice. I am just as guilty as the rest at times, but I do really try to dig deeper then just a colony photo. Digi type montis is something I actually did my homework on years ago (umm, before BAR, dang that was a long time ago).

 

[tuberider]

I'll id it, "in the hobby" it is called Montipora digitata, how's that?

I think I nailed it

 

[r0ck0]

We should create a group of investigators that work with labs to analyze coral DNA, we can call it CSI: Reef, coral species identification. I nominate Gresham to lead this elite group.

 

[GreshamH]

I'll id it, "in the hobby" it is called Montipora digitata, how's that?

I think I nailed it

I'm one salty that won't be left behind, and yourself?

 

[GreshamH]

We should create a group of investigators that work with labs to analyze coral DNA, we can call it CSI: Reef, coral species identification. I nominate Gresham to lead this elite group.

nomination declined, I have a day job that pays... not looking for more work with no pay.

 

[tuberider]

I'll id it, "in the hobby" it is called Montipora digitata, how's that?

I think I nailed it

I'm one salty that won't be left behind, and yourself?

I'll wait for them to redefine what's being redefined to ID it. You know taxonomists, they like to switch things up every couple of decades, look at cichlids.

 

[anathema]

The only result I see from insisting on more accurate identification would be more seized orders by F&G.

However, in the current spirit of the hobby I'm going to sidestep the whole accurate scientific identification issue and solve the problem with creativity. What that there thinger you's gots is a...

Super Ultra Tangerine Tang-Astronaut-Drink-Not-The-Fish Encrusto-Projecto Coral

A quick check of the Fake Named Corals as Commodity index or FNCCi shows it currently trading at $4500 an inch.

You are lucky that's not orange montipora digitata because that only trades at $.05 per linear foot and is currently about to be delisted.