Acropora ID mini-class
For anyone interested in participating, I am going to host a mini-class where you can get hands on experience in identifying Acropora. You will learn firsthand what it takes to try and assign a species name to this diverse genus.
I will not be able to provide holotypes of your corals, but we should be able to at least progress pretty far without it.
Requirements: A representative branch from an Acropora colony you have kept. Ideally, you might want to pick one from a colony that is currently alive in your tank...and even better, one that was sold with a species name attached. I will need you to snip off a branch and put it in household bleach for a day until you have a nice bare skeleton. At that point, you might want to use some food coloring or iodine or something to lightly stain it to provide contrast, or you can leave it white.
You will also need some sort of magnification device. A magnifying glass, hand lens, loupe, dissecting scope, etc.
I will provide all the references you'll need.
Optional: your own references.
Time frame: We will begin in one week on Sunday, May 9, 2004. I suspect it will take about a week or two given the time between posts and normal internet-type board responses as well as your own abilities. There will be no class time...It will work just like a normal board thread with questions and responses. If you plan on participating, please have your selected Acropora branch ready by next week.
There are no other requirements. It can be a frag, whole colony, wild, captive grown, any size, whatever. You will understand soon enough why I don't care anything more about the coral you choose ;-)
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Eric Borneman
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