Interesting piece

[Oldude]

I have a wild colony of what I believe to be Anacropora spumosa - or at lest that is the closest match I can find in Veron's Corals of the World. It is finally coloring up but still has a ways to go.
Your thoughts on my "ID" are appreciated.

 

[Oldude]

Nothing huh?

 

[Ken Hahn]

According to Veron, the corallites should have a slightly protruding lower lip for it to be Anacropora spumosa. In your picture it looks like the corallites are more conical than that, so I don't think that's a good match, but I don't have a better guess unfortunately.

 

[Frick]

I see corallites on some of the newer branch's tips. Are we sure this is not an Acropora that is just growing funky?

 

[mborn]

+1

It looks like it has axial corallites, in which case it’s acropora.

 

[Oldude]

Ok if it's an acro I would love to know the species. It doesn't seem to match anything I can find but that said I am quite certain the Veron, no matter how thorough doesn't list everything the ocean has to offer and there must be plenty of corals that were not identified in his books.
Thanks for the feed back

 

[mborn]

Looks like Acropora meridiana to me.

http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0779

 

[Frick]

Ok if it's an acro I would love to know the species. It doesn't seem to match anything I can find but that said I am quite certain the Veron, no matter how thorough doesn't list everything the ocean has to offer and there must be plenty of corals that were not identified in his books.
Thanks for the feed back

Yeah the book was published in 1999 I believe, and it is already slightly out dated. Tell us somethings about that piece. How long have you had it and in that time how long did it take to get that big?

Also do you have any side pictures if it.

Looks like Acropora meridiana to me.

http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0779

Looks close but that is a pretty rare species. I don't think they collect it. But you never know, could have snuck in.

 

[Oldude]

Turns out it is actually a heavily morphed piece of what I now believe is A.austera - I took a frag off that piece and put into my main display and this is what it has grown into. I never saw that coming.