Rethinking LPS and SPS classifications

[Jansen]

I think at least adding that info would be beneficial for sure. I'm not convinced we as hobbyists can convince the scientific community to do the same however..

I always tell people light requirements when sharing frags and its something I give consideration to as I place them, I jut say the name and tell if its high/low light and flow as well as grow patterns so they are prepared..

Also the scientific community and reef hobbyist will never agree on classifications and that's okay, they don't have too, I mean scientist definitely don't use the LPS and SPS distinctions, these are purely an invention of the hobby

 

[EMeyer]

Correct, LPS and SPS have no relationship with the scientific classification of corals.

The funny thing is, based on DNA evidence, there *are* two broad categories of corals. Robust and Complex. These coral lineages have been separated for a very very long time over evolutionary history (>400 my) and are different in many ways. If hobbyists are looking for a general two-level classification of corals we should use these, instead we use LPS and SPS which appear to have little or no overlap with the phylogenetic classification.

Personally, I think we're probably best served by talking about these things at the Family level , since this seems the most useful in terms of the corals' needs. For example:
Pocilloporidae - includes Pocillopora, Stylophora, and Seriatopora
Acroporidae - includes Acropora, Montipora, Anacropora
Dendrophyllidae - includes Tubastrea, Dendrophyllia, Balanophyllia, Duncanopsammia

of course LPS is a lot easier to write than Dendrophyllidae but the point is that two different "LPS" corals (e.g. Duncanopsammia and Platygyra) may be more distantly related to each other than a mammal is to a bird... while each is much more closely related to other corals we call "SPS".

 

[Val Doyle]

perhaps a number rating according to appropriate par levels as well a sps and lps

 

[Val Doyle]

higher the par eating typically the coral will be harder to care for sps or lps

 

[jgvergo]

I personally ignore the LPS/SPS/Softie classifications. When planning on the care and placement of a coral, I base my decisions on the specific type of coral, not the "class" it belongs to.

 

[Cory]

I think we should do both water depth and classification.

 

[saltyhog]

Correct, LPS and SPS have no relationship with the scientific classification of corals.

The funny thing is, based on DNA evidence, there *are* two broad categories of corals. Robust and Complex. These coral lineages have been separated for a very very long time over evolutionary history (>400 my) and are different in many ways. If hobbyists are looking for a general two-level classification of corals we should use these, instead we use LPS and SPS which appear to have little or no overlap with the phylogenetic classification.

Personally, I think we're probably best served by talking about these things at the Family level , since this seems the most useful in terms of the corals' needs. For example:
Pocilloporidae - includes Pocillopora, Stylophora, and Seriatopora
Acroporidae - includes Acropora, Montipora, Anacropora
Dendrophyllidae - includes Tubastrea, Dendrophyllia, Balanophyllia, Duncanopsammia

of course LPS is a lot easier to write than Dendrophyllidae but the point is that two different "LPS" corals (e.g. Duncanopsammia and Platygyra) may be more distantly related to each other than a mammal is to a bird... while each is much more closely related to other corals we call "SPS".

I like this idea the best. Even then nature is just too diverse to be cramped in to a simple classification system. In the family Dendrophyllidae for example there are both photosythetic and non photosythetic species with significantly different care requirements.

This is where I think forums like this are the best thing for newbies to get the answers they need and do the research they need before purchasing corals.

 

[Jansen]

I like this idea the best. Even then nature is just too diverse to be cramped in to a simple classification system. In the family Dendrophyllidae for example there are both photosythetic and non photosythetic species with significantly different care requirements.

This is where I think forums like this are the best thing for newbies to get the answers they need and do the research they need before purchasing corals.

Yes exactly, that was one of my main reasons for starting this, I figured it would lead to a decent discussion but also would incidentally become an information bank for newbies, especially the idea that corals are extremely diverse and we should treat their needs individually.

 

[Jansen]

I personally ignore the LPS/SPS/Softie classifications. When planning on the care and placement of a coral, I base my decisions on the specific type of coral, not the "class" it belongs to.

Right that's why I think we need a better way of explaining this to newbies, other than SPS, LPS, softies.