I have a question about Zoanthids

[Jeff-Ft-Lauderdale]

I'm not seeing an answer online. So this is either something no one knows or something that is so obvious nobody bothers asking.

Are the different varieties of Zoanthids actual separate species? Or are they engineered variants of one species? Is it possible to breed them?

 

[mdb_talon]

There are many distinct species of zoanthids, but from everything I have read there is still a lot of work to be done truly figuring out how many and that it is expected that the number of species will be reduced through reclassification in the future.

However even among the same species of zoanthids there can be and often are significant differences of color or pattern. They are not so much "engineered" as that in the hobby specific colors and varieties are collected/fragged/spread among the hobby.

 

[Jeff-Ft-Lauderdale]

There are many distinct species of zoanthids, but from everything I have read there is still a lot of work to be done truly figuring out how many and that it is expected that the number of species will be reduced through reclassification in the future.

However even among the same species of zoanthids there can be and often are significant differences of color or pattern. They are not so much "engineered" as that in the hobby specific colors and varieties are collected/fragged/spread among the hobby.

So these are basically all naturally occurring colors and patterns. These are not designed through breeding. If I find one that is not cataloged, it means I found a new species? It's not like when you see new colors and traits from bettas (as an example), because those are obtained through selective breeding or hybridization.

 

[mdb_talon]

So these are basically all naturally occurring colors and patterns. These are not designed through breeding. If I find one that is not cataloged, it means I found a new species? It's not like when you see new colors and traits from bettas (as an example), because those are obtained through selective breeding or hybridization.

No just finding a new color or pattern does not mean it is a new species at all. Even among the same species there can be a lot of variation in color. I would say it is all but impossible a new species will be found within the hobby itself. Any new species is likely only to be found in exploration of reefs and areas not yet well catalogued(or through reclassification which happens a lot but in that case it's likely something that has been around awhile it just now gets a new scientific name).

The colors are "naturally occurring" in the sense that is what the color of it is, but at times that does not mean it looks anything like it would in the ocean. Colors can be influenced dramatically based off amount of light and spectrum for example. Comparing to bettas the new colors are not the result of breeding but rather environmental factors can influence colors(and even size, etc). None of that makes it a different species though.