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View Full Version : Possible LPS? Id needed

BigRedSpecial
12/04/2007, 12:37 PM
I need an id on some hitchhiker coral I acquired on a piece of LR. I'm guessing it is LPS due to the appearance of a skeleton when the polyps retract, although if not for that I would assume it to be a coralimorph.

Pictures:
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/4467/coral1pf7.jpg
For size reference, the filter intake in back is the same size as a Penguin's intake.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4140/coral2qu1.jpg


http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3034/coral3tv0.jpg
These polyps are colonial, with the largest being about 1/4" in diameter. Note the tentacles and mouth. I started off with 2 polyps, and now have 4; growth has been slow but steady.

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/1298/coralretractednh1.jpg
Here you can see the 'skeleton' left behind when the polyps retract. It is very hard, and rises about 1/16" off the surrounding rock.

so, what say you? coralimorph, softie or LPS? If in fact it is LPS, does anyone have any idea what species?
Hormigaquatica
12/04/2007, 02:58 PM
LPS- but its going to be pretty much impossible to ID by photos. Where is the live rock from? Is it freshly imported, or did it come from someones tank?
BigRedSpecial
12/04/2007, 03:18 PM
the rock was labeled as Fiji, but the lfs regularly stocks Marshal Islands and Tonga, and I got this particular rock by picking out a few fish sized fragments, so it could be from anywhere. It was however imported from sea to lfs to my tank.

If there is anything I can do to help with an ID, just ask.
BigRedSpecial
12/05/2007, 11:42 AM
Anyone? even a guess as to what family?
Underwaterparadise
12/06/2007, 07:45 PM
My only guess would be Favia or Favites but very hard to tell from pic
BigRedSpecial
12/07/2007, 07:10 AM
no kidding, it is hard to tell... I just compared it to pictures of favia and favites and even I couldn't tell with any certainty. It looks a bit different than those imho, but not different enough to rule it out. Would a better picture help?
craiglanda
12/10/2007, 01:27 AM
a better pic couldnt hurt but...it kinda looks like duncanopsammia axifuga.
BigRedSpecial
12/10/2007, 08:05 AM
I don't think that's it... the tentacles on that species, from all the pictures Google turned up seem to be arranged radially, whereas on my coral they are sticking straight up, identical to a plate coral.

As a matter of fact, it looks exactly like a plate coral(including the skeleton when retracted), other than it being colonial.

I'll try to get a better pic up this evening or tomorrow; I'm in the middle of final exams now so it might be a while though.