Looking for a montipora id

[Floppyfish]

Was just wondering if anyone could help me with the id of these two similarly colored plating montipora. The back piece came attached as a tiny speck on a piece of live rock and has grown substantially but not nearly as much as what appears to be the larger piece in front. The larger piece started as fingernail size frag and both have been growing for a year. One seems to grow out and down, the other seems to wanna curl up at the rear edge. Surface structure appears different on both. Thanks for any help everyone. Sorry, my clown goby likes to photobomb so let’s just say he’s there for scale.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

top is monti capricornis. not sure about the bottom one.

 

[Yazannreef]

I only see the Monti Cap.

 

[Floppyfish]

Thanks for the replies. Here’s a top down and 2 close ups of each. The smaller piece definitely doesn’t like the larger one.

 

[Yazannreef]

Ah ok. That looks like a red Monti Palawanensis. Rare in the orange shade but that's what I'm suspecting that one is. As far not liking each other .that's normal with two genes of Montipora. They will fight for space and will sting each other.

 

[Floppyfish]

Thanks for your help. Looking up M. Palawanensis online I definitely see how it looks. Also really seems to grow quicker than the capricornis in the back, but then again it could be due to it having larger surface area and slightly different growth rate. Anyhow, guess that’s the one I may have to trim up shortly.

 

[C. Eymann]

Smaller one is indeed capricornis, the larger one in front of it is either M. hodgsoni or foliosa.

Palawanensis has much more pronounced larger verrucae.

 

[Floppyfish]

Thank you. I truly didn’t realize there was than many similar types of plating montipora. I guess there are probably others too! Definitely inspiring me to do more digging.

 

[C. Eymann]

Thank you. I truly didn’t realize there was than many similar types of plating montipora. I guess there are probably others too! Definitely inspiring me to do more digging.

There are a lot of different species of plating montis, florida, hodgsoni, aequituberculata, frabilis, delicatula, turgescens etc etc.
Which is why to correctly ID you must look at the fine morphological traits, not just growth form.

 

[ScottB]

There are a lot of different species of plating montis, florida, hodgsoni, aequituberculata, frabilis, delicatula, turgescens etc etc.
Which is why to correctly ID you must look at the fine morphological traits, not just growth form.

I must say, you always impress. Nerdball.