Cyphastrea or Stylocoeniella?

[The Escaped Ape]

This picture has been put up at one of my LFS in Japan. The Japanese name given (Mukashi coral), entered into Google.jp comes up with the ID Stylocoeniella guentheri. No reason to doubt that necessarily, other than it looked like a Cyphastrea to me when I first saw it and I'd like to have a Cyphastrea!

What do people think? I might miss this one before it gets sold, but even so, this is the second one I've seen this store get in, so it'd be useful info for next time.

 

[Frick]

Could be a Meteor shower look alike Cyphastrea. But with out a close up could be alot of other things.

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Thanks Frick, that's helpful. Unfortunately that's the best shot on the website, so without either pulling the trigger and ordering it online or visiting (which I won't be able to do for a while), I won't know for sure I guess!

Next time I'm down there, I'll see if they still have it or a similar colony. I like the coloration in the picture (though this site is terrible for getting a good idea of real coloration).

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Well, it didn't sell and I bought it today, so I'd love to hear what people think. It looks like a Cyphastrea to me, but I've not seen one in the flesh before...

BTW, apologies for the lack of sharpness in these shots.

 

[organism]

It's a cyphastrea, stylochoeniella polyps are about 1/4 the size. Great score by the way!

 

[dvanacker]

Awesome...yes I agree cyphastrea. Polyps look just like my meteor shower but the base is slightly different. very nice score.

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Thanks both! I'm really happy. Cyphastrea doesn't appear to be sold here, unless it comes in with a shipment. This is only the first time I've definitely seen it for sale.

I particularly like the small green areas of the base among the purple. Hopefully that will stay.