Granulosa? Tortuosa?

[DSC reef]

Acropora has always been a tough coral to ID for me Matt

 

[evolved]

Yes I actually am kinda thinking @evolved is correct. What catches my eye on the granulosa description is the growth pattern. It is very plate-like. And if you look at examples such as the one below, you see it is a very uniform overall shape. This acro I have does not seem to grow that way at all. So it really does make a strong case for Loripes.

Yes, granulosa is always a strong table - but things can get weird with flow.
However, what rules it out for me is how close the radials are to the axials on your coral. There's always distinct separation there on granulosa - but not the case with loripes.

 

[evolved]

Prior to modding and being caught up with wrasses, I used to do a lot of corals IDs too. I just don't have the time to spend on it anymore.

Frick and I practically made a game out of it, but he doesn't have the time anymore either.

 

[BoomCorals]

Yes, granulosa is always a strong table - but things can get weird with flow.
However, what rules it out for me is how close the radials are to the axials on your coral. There's always distinct separation there on granulosa - but not the case with loripes.

You have a good eye I didn’t catch that. Very nice!

Prior to modding and being caught up with wrasses, I used to do a lot of corals IDs too. I just don't have the time to spend on it anymore.

Frick and I practically made a game out of it, but he doesn't have the time anymore either.

Well I really appreciate it. It is kind of a fun game. And fun to learn about the coral!

 

[jda]

Every Lorpies that I have seen has different color tips and corallites, but I surely have not seen them all. Rosaria and Granny can have the same color. EDIT: never mind... had my kinds mixed up.

Just call it a Smoothie. Strawberry Smoothie.

 

[dragon99]

This is exactly why most vendors would call it a red extreme ultra boom cracker

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I would say until you let it grow out we wont be able to tell for sure. And that probably wont happen since your trying to make money by fragging it. You dont get a list of the corals by species that come in your boxes?

 

[BoomCorals]

I would say until you let it grow out we wont be able to tell for sure. And that probably wont happen since your trying to make money by fragging it. You dont get a list of the corals by species that come in your boxes?

This one wasn't from a wholesaler. And even then, no wholesalers do not do that.

It was bought quite a while ago by someone locally that I buy aquacultured frags from, and he bought it from a store way back that had it incorrectly listed as a "tort" I think. The one pic I showed you of the larger colony is pretty grown out for a captive tank, and I think tells us a lot of the structure. It's a good 10"-12" in size.

 

[evolved]

You dont get a list of the corals by species that come in your boxes?

Wild collection shops don't bother. If it was maricultured, then it may have had a tag with a species (but usually they are just "Acropora sp." on the tag). Even if it had a species name on the tag, there's at least a 50% chance it's not right.
IDs beyond genus are pretty sloppy at the collection level.

 

[BoomCorals]

Wild collection shops don't bother. If it was maricultured, then it may have had a tag with a species (but usually they are just "Acropora sp." on the tag). Even if it had a species name on the tag, there's at least a 50% chance it's not right.
IDs beyond genus are pretty sloppy at the collection level.

I have seen many mariculture pieces with tags like "acropora millepora" that weren't even close (Tenuis, Austera). Even had a montipora labeled as "acropora" on a tag once lol.

 

[evolved]

I have seen many mariculture pieces with tags like "acropora millepora" that weren't even close (Tenuis, Austera). Even had a montipora labeled as "acropora" on a tag once lol.

Yet another area where marketing creeps in. Label it so it sells!
We want science, they want monies. ;Hilarious

 

[Graffiti Spot]

This one wasn't from a wholesaler. And even then, no wholesalers do not do that.

It was bought quite a while ago by someone locally that I buy aquacultured frags from, and he bought it from a store way back that had it incorrectly listed as a "tort" I think. The one pic I showed you of the larger colony is pretty grown out for a captive tank, and I think tells us a lot of the structure. It's a good 10"-12" in size.

Maybe show the whole colony , I see a lot is cropped off probably because its older growth and doesnt look as good as the new shoots but it may help ID it. Normally it's easier if the colony is fresh from the islands or if the new growth has formed a complete section of new coral growth not just shoots.

Wild collection shops don't bother. If it was maricultured, then it may have had a tag with a species (but usually they are just "Acropora sp." on the tag). Even if it had a species name on the tag, there's at least a 50% chance it's not right.
IDs beyond genus are pretty sloppy at the collection level.

I have got wild and maricultured transhipped and they almost always come with species is. Gotta have it for customs right? But I will admit sometimes they seem to not be right, again probably to pass through customs I would guess. Or they are lazy or dont know. I would bet that most know how to ID a very large amount of coral they collect with no issues.

I have seen many mariculture pieces with tags like "acropora millepora" that weren't even close (Tenuis, Austera). Even had a montipora labeled as "acropora" on a tag once lol.

Yea I will agree the ID's given at the wholesale level are laughable at least on every order.