Three IDs on Bali Aquacultured Corals
- Thread starter ssavader
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Kolognekoral
New member
First may be A valida or A. nana, the second is A. samoensis. The third is tough from the picture. May be in the A. loripes group.
Kolognekoral
New member
Scott,
both A. vermiculata and A. tenuis have scale-like radials, which your two do not have. A. tenuis has them in a clean rosette form, while A. vermiculata is more loosly spaced. Of the A. samoensis I am 99.9% sure. The blue could well be A. granulosa. Both it and A. loripes are very similar in form until a bit more mature. A. maryae is, also, similar and in this smaller size fits very well indeed. These three are close realtives.
Back to the purple, the radials are tubular and appressed, which is a major charachter of both A. nana and A. valida. A. valida tends to shown this slightly bottle shaped effect in the radials that I think I see in the foto.
both A. vermiculata and A. tenuis have scale-like radials, which your two do not have. A. tenuis has them in a clean rosette form, while A. vermiculata is more loosly spaced. Of the A. samoensis I am 99.9% sure. The blue could well be A. granulosa. Both it and A. loripes are very similar in form until a bit more mature. A. maryae is, also, similar and in this smaller size fits very well indeed. These three are close realtives.
Back to the purple, the radials are tubular and appressed, which is a major charachter of both A. nana and A. valida. A. valida tends to shown this slightly bottle shaped effect in the radials that I think I see in the foto.
Kolognekoral
New member
Scott, it's always a pleasure and thanks for the appreciation. I enjoy attempting to identify and understand the corals, which has lead to a rather large library of books over the years. Always more to learn. Passing on knowledge is mostly rewarding! With the advent of the internet, the resource window has really opened wide. One can learn tons of new stuff every day.
The most difficult part, other than getting past the prejudice that " that is what they sold me and I'm going with it" attitude, the corals we show in our fotos often falsify their nature though colour, apparent size and perspective. Also polyp extension, which many think may be species specific, it often different in the aquarium. Ulimately, the naked skeleton at almost microscopic level is necessary to bring one in the 100% range. Biological diversity in and of itself shows how members of the same species can vary remarkably under different environments. You keep running up upon the definition of 'species'; where does one stop and the next one start. Corals, in particular are in a strongly active state of evolution, which is lucky for them as they are being forced to adapt to environmental change at an unnatural rate. Many won't survive the current climate change. Others will evolve and hopefuly take their place.
The most difficult part, other than getting past the prejudice that " that is what they sold me and I'm going with it" attitude, the corals we show in our fotos often falsify their nature though colour, apparent size and perspective. Also polyp extension, which many think may be species specific, it often different in the aquarium. Ulimately, the naked skeleton at almost microscopic level is necessary to bring one in the 100% range. Biological diversity in and of itself shows how members of the same species can vary remarkably under different environments. You keep running up upon the definition of 'species'; where does one stop and the next one start. Corals, in particular are in a strongly active state of evolution, which is lucky for them as they are being forced to adapt to environmental change at an unnatural rate. Many won't survive the current climate change. Others will evolve and hopefuly take their place.
-=Efrain=-
Active member
Jamie,
So the difference between A. Valida and A. Nana is that A. Valida radials is more bottle shaped? Also can you please point me towards the best website that gives me examples of radials and other defining characteristics of corals.
So the difference between A. Valida and A. Nana is that A. Valida radials is more bottle shaped? Also can you please point me towards the best website that gives me examples of radials and other defining characteristics of corals.
Kolognekoral
New member
There are a few more differences, such as branch diameter and general shape of the colonies, both of which are clear when they are side by side. A. nana and the closely related A. azurea are finer in build with longer, upright branches and realtively little side branching. Also, the corallites are more strongly appressed. A. valida has a generally heavier look, the radials tend to be a bit less appressed and the branching is much closer, giving the colonies a bushy appearance.
Go to the AIMS site and access the coral ID section, which is an online version of J.E.N. Veron's Corals of the World.
http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralsearch.php
Go to the AIMS site and access the coral ID section, which is an online version of J.E.N. Veron's Corals of the World.
http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralsearch.php
