Hells Kitchen UFO Acan

[zeppelin]

Chalice have many skeletal patterns, even within the same genus. Echinophyllia, echinopora, oxypora, mycedium are all 'chalice', and there are a half a dozen or more different sleletal patterns within echinophyllia alone.

I'm guessing that is a chalice also. I'd like to see a pic of it eating.

 

[zeppelin]

Here is acan rotundo, from another thread.

 

[Hormigaquatica]

Afraid I tend to agree with some of the others on here- its a cool looking piece, but I doubt it is rotundoflora (or Acanthastrea at all for that matter). The little skeletal pattern I can see does not match that of A. rotundoflora, but I will admit its tough to really see key characteristics in the photo provided. Perhaps a clearer, closer shot of the exposed skeleton would help..?

What I can see does looks somewhat more like Echinophyllia. Assuming it is Echino, my first guess would be E. echinoporoides. (I would post up pictures, but Photobucket isnt working at the moment. Seach the CoralSearch Index for the coral if you want to check it out for yourself).
To quote the brief description from Veron's site:

Characters: Colonies are encrusting laminae, sometimes with nodules at the colony centre. Corallites are small (4-6 mm diameter), mostly immersed and are slightly inclined towards the colony margins.

Colour: Usually a uniform cream to dark brownish-green, but commonly brick red in Japan...

Habitat: Most reef environments but especially turbid water on protected steeply sloping substrates.

Abundance: Uncommon in Australia, common in the northern hemisphere.

Its a nice looking coral regardless of what it winds up being.

 

[benihana]

I am picking up my piece today, I will take a few photos when I get it and try to get a good one of it eating tonight as well

 

[benihana]

Looks like an A. Rotundo to me!

Thoughts???

 

[zeppelin]

Flesh looks too smooth for acan rotundo to me. I'm still guessing its a chalice of some kind. How about a top down shot of the frag?

 

[Justin74]

Characters: Colonies are encrusting laminae, sometimes with nodules at the colony centre. Corallites are small (4-6 mm diameter), mostly immersed and are slightly inclined towards the colony margins.

Thats exactly why it cant be an E. echinoporoides. The coralites on benihanas are much bigger than 4-6mm.

I do however agree this appears to be an Echinophyllia, especially lookin at benihana's frag pictures.

-Justin