Is this a toadstool or a devils hand ?

[Jake91]

I picked up this leather from my LFS today and I can’t remember if this is a devils hand or toadstool as I was looking at a few different ones. I tried to look online and just confused my self even more

 

[SchrutesReefs]

Toadstool.

 

[SchrutesReefs]

Toadstool.

My opinion. I have not encountered a long polyp devils hand before.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Devils hand

 

[therootcause]

Without fingers coming from the center, it looks like a toadstool (sarco.)

The edges that are pointing upward look more like folds than fingers of a devils hand. Link for reference below tho...lovely coral.

Get to know the leather corals: Sarcophyton, Lobophytum and Sinularia | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Leather corals are a group of soft coral which includes the genus Sarcophyton, Lobophytum and Sinularia. Leather corals are easy to care for and a great addition to any tank, and within these groups…

reefbuilders.com

 

[LeftyReefer]

my vote is toadstool too.

 

[Jake91]

Without fingers coming from the center, it looks like a toadstool (sarco.)

The edges that are pointing upward look more like folds than fingers of a devils hand. Link for reference below tho...lovely coral.

Get to know the leather corals: Sarcophyton, Lobophytum and Sinularia | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Leather corals are a group of soft coral which includes the genus Sarcophyton, Lobophytum and Sinularia. Leather corals are easy to care for and a great addition to any tank, and within these groups…

reefbuilders.com

It does seem like it has folds more then fingers. That link was very informative after reading it and knowing the differences now I think I agree with you guys who woulda thought something like telling the difference between 2 leathers could be so difficult. I love the things you learn off this forum

 

[Jake91]

I also took this phot last night after my lights turned off don’t know if it makes a difference or not but you can see it’s folds/fingers more clearly

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I will share pictures tonight of my finger leathers, toadstool, and Devils hand. They are just different formations

 

[vetteguy53081]

Toadstool

 

[LeftyReefer]

i believe this is a devils hand leather. opinions?

 

[Jake91]

i believe this is a devils hand leather. opinions?

Ahhhh ok now I know what shrutesreefs is talking about how he hasn’t seen devils hands with long polyps. Also the way your coral actual “fingers” rather then folds. Thanks for sharing

 

[Jake91]

Th

I will share pictures tonight of my finger leathers, toadstool, and Devils hand. They are just different formations

That would actually be really helpful. I would love to see the difference between the 3 different formations side by side

 

[MaxTremors]

I would say it’s a Sarcophyton, but I don’t know that I would say it’s a toadstool. I’ve heard these referred to as ‘crown leathers’. There are quite a few Sarcophytons that are very similar to Lobophytums, and criteria like ‘folds vs fingers’ or having a clear top and underside aren’t definitive identifiers, they are clues, and fine for IDing at the hobbyist level, but I don’t know how relevant those characteristics are taxonomically. Looking at the polyps closely, the pattern they grow in, and how pronounced the stem or base is are just as important in IDing leathers that are ambiguous.

I also don’t think it would be classified as a ‘long polyp’ Sarcophyton.

 

[Jake91]

I would say it’s a Sarcophyton, but I don’t know that I would say it’s a toadstool. I’ve heard these referred to as ‘crown leathers’. There are quite a few Sarcophytons that are very similar to Lobophytums, and criteria like ‘folds vs fingers’ or having a clear top and underside aren’t definitive identifiers, they are clues, and fine for IDing at the hobbyist level, but I don’t know how relevant those characteristics are taxonomically. Looking at the polyps closely, the pattern they grow in, and how pronounced the stem or base is are just as important in IDing leathers that are ambiguous.

I also don’t think it would be classified as a ‘long polyp’ Sarcophyton.

That’s what got me the difference between colours, polyps, folds, fingers, crowns they all look so similar even between different species. I guess the best way would be to just identify them from their genus sacrophyton, lobophytum ect or even just referring to them as “leathers”. I can’t get over how much goes into identifying these things it’s crazy. Thank you for the very informative information though, I like knowing as much as possible of the things I’m taking care of in my aquarium or in the hobby in general more so for my own knowledge.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Toadstool leather. 1 big crown. Usually flat on the top. Plateaus out ect.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Finger leather. These are called finger leathers cuz they literally create fingers. The coral will grow new fingers usually in the upwards direction

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Devils hand or crown leather is a combination of both kinda. Lol