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View Full Version : Can anybody help me ID this coral?

jgsteven
07/23/2012, 01:57 AM
...seen last week diving in the Maldives:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RlL3pevkkn0/UAtsnWSPWOI/AAAAAAAABUI/bRqtTTeShEA/s912/P7132179.jpg

The 'pot' looking portion of it was fleshy. I don't know if it has a calcified base or not. It was a dusk dive, so it may appear differently when not feeding. Alot of the coral had their polyps extended at the time...
doublejhunter
07/23/2012, 05:27 AM
They look like closed up mushrooms.
Whisperer
07/23/2012, 06:25 AM
Probably rhodactis, feeding.
Here is one of mine just about to close after catching food.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/DSC_0200.jpg
jgsteven
08/02/2012, 04:41 AM
They look like closed up mushrooms.

Ahh -- sorry, I should have given some sense of scale. They are much bigger than any mushroom I have ever seen. The diameter was a good 10-12 inches for each coral in the photo.
Whisperer
08/02/2012, 05:40 AM
Giant Cup Mushroom Coral (Elephant Ear Corallimorph), Amplexidiscus Fenestrafer, Closed Up