Acropora spp. ID please ?

[batukhan]

Hey guys;

I have some Acropora frags, however i do not know the species of my acroporas except A.millepora. As a biologist i am very courious about the species of my acroporas. To make the %100 identification you need to cut the corals and look at the septa of the corallite, however as you can imagine i do not want to cut my corals )) I d appreciate any help and opinion.


Thanks

Batuhan

 

[cankarabas]

Guzel canlilar

 

[batukhan]

Teşekkür ederim. / Thank you

 

[ajcanale]

1. Lokani
2. Yongei
3. Spathulata
4. Valida
5. Tenuis
6. ?

 

[batukhan]

Hello ajcanale;

Thank you! i thought 3 was a millepora. Could you please tell me what is the difference between spathulata and millepora ?

 

[Ken Hahn]

This is a debate as to whether spathulata is just a regional variation of millepora or a distinct species.

Spathulata comes from Australia and has fatter branches with larger corallite lips than typical millepora. It is also more difficult to keep that normal millepora.

 

[Frick]

1. How does this one grow? Table, bottlebrush?
2. There's a few other stag type of Acros that could be, but would need to see some fresh corallites before I would start to settle on any one.
3. Could be A. millepora, or A. prostrata. Won't be able to tell until it branches out more.
4. I am leaning towards A. secale http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0062
5. Could be A. tenius, there are about a dozen species that look like that at that size. Depends on how that will grow in to a colony as well.
6. Maybe A. granulosa. http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0033