cuban ricordea

[Mike Ordner]

There is an online site selling cuban ricordea as a "yuma". When I asked if these were R. florida instead of "yuma", the reply is that they are "like haitian recordea and different from Florida ricordea". So, my question: is there more than two species of Ricordea in the trade market, or is this just a R. florida that is being sold as a cuban ricordea.

 

[Mike Ordner]

Lots of looks, but no replys. According to the World Register of Marine Species, there are only two species of Ricordea recognized, R. florida and R. yuma.

Link: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=267813

Not sure if this organization is the final word, but I will go with this unless someone can point me in another direction.

Thanks for looking.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

Basically, you have ricordea florida and ricordea yuma. Yumas are Pacific Ocean, Floridas are Caribbean. A Cuban version would still be a ricordea florida, just as Haitian ones are. I remember a few years ago there was a genetics study that said the Floridas had two distinct genetic lineages but there wasn't any change to the taxonomy.

Jeff

 

[Mike Ordner]

Thanks Jeff. That's what I was thinking also. With distance could have some genetic drift but still the same species. The pictures he had on his site looked like other R. florida I have seen.

 

[seapug]

If they are cuban collected Rics then they are R. florida. There are a few other genera of corallimorphs with bulbous tentacles from the Caribbean that can look like Rics, too. Coral Morphologic sells pretty much every species native to the Caribbean and western Atlantic. If you can post a link to the site it'll be easy to figure out what they are.

 

[will46r]

The bottom line is this...... are they cheaper?

 

[fefol]

We import ricordea grom Fina and It is exsactly the same as from florida (r.Florida) ther are mamy cheeper (for 20 peaces 16-20$) But for people from USA It will be very dificult to import anythink from cuba

 

[freetareef]

interesting...

 

[kershak]

im a colector from the carebean wathers and i only see f.ricordeas many types of colors but no diferent to f ricordea and in the wild wathers of puerto rico,dominican republic and cuba i never found any yuma only discosomas and f.ricordeas.5 years diving all the cost

 

[griss]

im a colector from the carebean wathers and i only see f.ricordeas many types of colors but no diferent to f ricordea and in the wild wathers of puerto rico,dominican republic and cuba i never found any yuma only discosomas and f.ricordeas.5 years diving all the cost

Exactly

 

[organism]

Just another marketing scam by some con artist to steal money from unsuspecting hobbyists. The "cuban" super pricey bs rics are the same Haitian Ricordia florida that have always been in the hobby, some greedy *** clown with no morals just decided to put a different name on them.

imo that's the "jumping the shark" moment of coral naming right there.

 

[cjdevito]

imo that's the "jumping the shark" moment of coral naming right there.

I reserve that actually for Reverse Radioactive Gorilla Nipples, but your point is taken.

 

[billsreef]

A US dealer selling Cuban ric's? Wonder what customs would say about that.

BTW, since they are R. floridia, they are exactly the same as both Haitian and Florida ric's Only difference between the two is collection laws at the point of collection.

 

[organism]

A US dealer selling Cuban ric's? Wonder what customs would say about that.

I'm sure they won't mind what with all of the websites in the US that sell Cuban cigars...

Oh wait, there aren't any since that would be incredibly retarded.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Basically, you have ricordea florida and ricordea yuma. Yumas are Pacific Ocean, Floridas are Caribbean. A Cuban version would still be a ricordea florida, just as Haitian ones are. I remember a few years ago there was a genetics study that said the Floridas had two distinct genetic lineages but there wasn't any change to the taxonomy.

Jeff

Point me to this study! I have been saying for years that there are two distinct species of Ricordea in Florida. There is the Ricordea florida that everyone loves. Comes in many colors, grows in clusters on the outer reefs, usually in deeper water (20-30 feet). I have found green with purple mouth Ricordea growing individually in many places on the inside of Hawks channel. Alway the same color. Always as individual polyps. Skirts are a little different too. I am curious if this would be the other genetic lineage or not. If you make the field trip this summer, I will show you.

 

[will46r]

I have the ultra rare Fidel's Own Cuban Ricky Ricordeas for sale for like $4443 a polyp..... comes in green, red or green with stripes.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

Point me to this study!

I found the one I remember, on SpringerLink, but they charge for it:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/441v6r7w47u4j528/

Looks like this is basically the same paper though:

http://cima.uprm.edu/~n_schizas/reprints/Torres-Pratts_Lado-Insua_etal_2011.pdf

Might also try contacting this guy, looks to be the current expert:

http://cima.uprm.edu/~n_schizas/reprints/SchizasCV_10.pdf

Jeff

 

[jdhuyvetter]

I should have published my opinion sooner! I think what I was referring to as a separate species is what he is referencing as "L2". Although, I was finding them in 10-12 feet of water in the "murky" parts of Hawks Channel. Probably the same light penetration as the deeper parts on the outer reefs where he seems to have collected his L2 specimens.

 

[Thricelll]

I'm sure they won't mind what with all of the websites in the US that sell Cuban cigars...

Oh wait, there aren't any since that would be incredibly retarded.

:thumbsup:

There are actually quite a few. Don't know if I'm allowed to post them here though. Sometimes shipments do get seized and you'll get a letter but it's pretty rare.

 

[SDguy]

I bought some rics that were listed as Cuban. I don't really care if they are from Cuba or not; I bought them because they have neat, unique colors.