A. Austere and Torts

[vanmle]

What is the difference between a Tort and an A. Austere or are they pretty much the same thing? I have seen them used interchangeably (sp?) and I was wondering if this is correct or if this is due to misinformation.

 

[manderx]

people's egos. there was a 'yellow tort' a while back that the people with it were desperate to think it was a super rare fancy coral. all other torts were blue, so being yellow made this OMG_RARE!!!1 in their minds. the closest thing to experts we have in the hobby later confirmed that is was not a tort, but rather an austera. but pride kept them calling it a tort regardless, and with that one called a tort, other people, either trying to cash-in and increase marketability, or through simple ignorance started calling other austeras as torts.

not that the word tort really had any real meaning to begin with, other than 'blue knobby stick'.

 

[clkwrk]

I am guilty also . My bennett yellow tort is an austera IMO but I still call it a tort .(habit)

Acropora Tortuosa
http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/html/001-100/Species pages/75.htm
Acropora Austera
http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/html/001-100/Species pages/10.htm

 

[clkwrk]

here is another tort look alike I found
Acropora vaughani
http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/html/001-100/Species pages/78.htm

 

[vanmle]

Got it. Thanx. Those were really good explanations and links.

 

[cee]

I've got this one some call a tort, even though I'm quite certain it's an austera:

Right now, it's my favorite. It's different than my ORA, Dalton, Oregon, and other "true" torts in the polyp structure and the branch thickness. BTW, manderx, you might see something which jogs your memory on the left-hand side of the picture

Dave

 

[jsweir]

How about this one?