Grafted Millepora are not as rare as we thought

[Reef Builders]

Grafted corals are the reef aquarium’s holy grail. They demand a high price tag and are highly sort after by many of us. Acropora millepora is the second most popular Acropora after Acropora tenuis, and a good, grafted millepora is one of the most desirable Acropora ever. We spend a lot of time underwater and…
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[GlassMunky]

Is the term “Graft” even correct in this application?
it seems like people are using that term for anything with multiple colors but the dictionary definition of grafting is to implant living tissue surgically.
since this is a natural blending of tissues it’s by definition not a Graft

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Is the term “Graft” even correct in this application?
it seems like people are using that term for anything with multiple colors but the dictionary definition of grafting is to implant living tissue surgically.
since this is a natural blending of tissues it’s by definition not a Graft

What would be the correct dictionary term for sharing proteins between dissimilar coral?

I think grafted is as close as we are going to get.

 

[GlassMunky]

Why would it not just be called a coral with infected proteins like they do with coral with GFP (green fluorescent proteins)
Or just a “rainbow” coral?

I just think that by having credible sources like this using improper terms just further muddies the water of what’s actually happening and that does a disservice to the reefing community as a whole.

 

[KrisReef]

Why would it not just be called a coral with infected proteins like they do with coral with GFP (green fluorescent proteins)
Or just a “rainbow” coral?

I just think that by having credible sources like this using improper terms just further muddies the water of what’s actually happening and that does a disservice to the reefing community as a whole.

Until a phenomenon is understood (studied and published in scientific journals) a “proper” name for the observation may be quite muddied in the literature, both scientific and hobby publications.
I suspect that folks are looking at the issue(s) grafting and sharing or transfer /translocation of symbiotic primary producers and clarification of terms will follow debates and conclusions that are not yet published?
I suspect that there is a simple process where two corals living in the same tank can exchange symbionts by physical contact and there may be a separate process where coral collect and incorporate symbionts that were caught in the current born drift?)

The pictures shown in the article appeared to indicate the latter situation?
I agree that the commonly used term from gardening; “Grafting” is possibly misapplied in coral discussion but what it should be called is not necessarily obvious until the process is understood and described, at which time the scientific writer may provide us with a proper term(s) for what people now commonly refer to as “Grafting” in the hobby.
I might propose “symbiotic Drifting” but I will wait for the literature to catch-up with my observations and accept or reject the term as is proper?
Hth

 

[GlassMunky]

Until a phenomenon is understood (studied and published in scientific journals) a “proper” name for the observation may be quite muddied in the literature, both scientific and hobby publications.
I suspect that folks are looking at the issue(s) grafting and sharing or transfer /translocation of symbiotic primary producers and clarification of terms will follow debates and conclusions that are not yet published?
I suspect that there is a simple process where two corals living in the same tank can exchange symbionts by physical contact and there may be a separate process where coral collect and incorporate symbionts that were caught in the current born drift?)

The pictures shown in the article appeared to indicate the latter situation?
I agree that the commonly used term from gardening; “Grafting” is possibly misapplied in coral discussion but what it should be called is not necessarily obvious until the process is understood and described, at which time the scientific writer may provide us with a proper term(s) for what people now commonly refer to as “Grafting” in the hobby.
I might propose “symbiotic Drifting” but I will wait for the literature to catch-up with my observations and accept or reject the term as is proper?
Hth

Yea I guess my main problem with the term grafting is that it implicitly implies that it was done on purpose and by humans, like grafting plants, or a skin graft; and this is completely natural.

I tend to agree with you in that it’s most likely some sort of horizontal transfer of symbionts or even horizontal gene transfer maybe? Either way it’s fully mother natures doing and not ours.