Wouldn't zoanthids be stony corals?

[encrustingacro]

Wouldn't zoanthids be considered stony corals since soft corals have 8 tentacles on their polyps whereas zoanthids have them in multiples of 6 and also because zoanthids are in the order of hexacorallia which stony corals are in whereas soft corals are in the order octocorallia?

 

[Adamantium]

Wouldn't zoanthids be considered stony corals since soft corals have 8 tentacles on their polyps whereas zoanthids have them in multiples of 6 and also because zoanthids are in the order of hexacorallia which stony corals are in whereas soft corals are in the order octocorallia?

There is no scientific definition of LPS, SPS, or soft coral. They're just hobby terms. That said, the lack of a calcium carbonate skeleton leaves zoas pretty firmly in the soft coral category.

 

[shred5]

There is no scientific definition of LPS, SPS, or soft coral. They're just hobby terms. That said, the lack of a calcium carbonate skeleton leaves zoas pretty firmly in the soft coral category.

Agreed.
Scientific name for stony corals is Scleractinia.

 

[encrustingacro]

I know sps and lps are not hobby terms but I always thought soft and stony corals were scientific terms. I also always thorught soft and stony corals were determined by the number of tentacles, not whether they built skeletons or not.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I know sps and lps are not hobby terms but I always thought soft and stony corals were scientific terms. I also always thorught soft and stony corals were determined by the number of tentacles, not whether they built skeletons or not.

Definitely based off of skeleton (or the stony part) vs no skeleton.

the way you tell the difference between alveopora and goniopra is number of tentacles

 

[encrustingacro]

Definitely based off of skeleton (or the stony part) vs no skeleton.

the way you tell the difference between alveopora and goniopra is number of tentacles

then would that mean some clove polyps would be stony corals since they make skeletons?

 

[shred5]

I know sps and lps are not hobby terms but I always thought soft and stony corals were scientific terms. I also always thorught soft and stony corals were determined by the number of tentacles, not whether they built skeletons or not.

Lets see if I remember correctly from my marine biology coarse the scientific terms .

Reef building corals are Hermatypic and non reef building is Ahermatypic.

Soft and stony are just words.

 

[shred5]

then would that mean some clove polyps would be stony corals since they make skeletons?

No they are not calcium carbonate so not Scleractina.
Technically what you are saying is then gorgonia would be because they do have skeletons. They are not calcium carbonate.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I know sps and lps are not hobby terms

they are specifically hobby terms.

 

[encrustingacro]

they are specifically hobby terms.

Sorry I meant they are hobby terms

 

[encrustingacro]

No they are not calcium carbonate so not Scleractina.
Technically what you are saying is then gorgonia would be because they do have skeletons. They are not calcium carbonate.

Oh.

 

[HuduVudu]

Blue ridge coral has a calcium carbonate skeleton and is listed as a soft coral. FWIW.

 

[shred5]

Blue ridge coral has a calcium carbonate skeleton and is listed as a soft coral. FWIW.

That is a weird one in which I would also say it is reef building but I believe it does not fit because it is like pipe organ too because it really has a external skeleton.

But again soft coral really isn't scientific either.

Edit:
Yea I had to look it up Blue ridge is not considered a Scleractinia.

 

[John08007]

But, they don't build a calcium Skelton, when they die they don't leave a skelton

 

[encrustingacro]

I know sps and lps are not hobby terms but I always thought soft and stony corals were scientific terms. I also always thorught soft and stony corals were determined by the number of tentacles, not whether they built skeletons or not.

I meant are just hobby terms

 

[blasterman]

Some gorgonians form calcite skeletons. Calcite is just a form of calcium carbonate that forms under low pH conditions.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

No they are not calcium carbonate so not Scleractina.
Technically what you are saying is then gorgonia would be because they do have skeletons. They are not calcium carbonate.

I didn’t say gorganians. Not sure how those are classified. But zoas have only a soft structure nothing even close to a skeleton