Tubastrea or dendrophyllia?

[dendro982]

Is it Tubastrea or dendrophyllia? And which one?

~1" branching tubes, light yellow color without orange shade, skeleton is visible, fingerprint pattern on the side of skeleton. 1 yr old scutter for the size comparison.

So far what I could find:

The two genera can be differentiated from the structure of the septa of their cleaned skeletons. In Dendrophyllia,the calyces follow the Pourtales Plan wherein the septa fuse in groups of three together at the center of the calyx. Tubastrea conversely shows no central fusion of the septa.

museum link

If this is tubastrea, sun coral, then which one?
Thanks.

 

[Hormigaquatica]

I would say Tubastrea. As far as which kind... I suck at IDing sun corals to species level, sorry.

 

[Qckwzrd]

I'de have to say Tubastrea also, I have the yellow one a while back. It was a pretty big colony. Right now I have 3 polyps. I'm not good with the ID either. I'll check with someone on another site and find out.

 

[Wrench]

It's Tubastrea, but I see a Dendrophyllia in the background.

 

[rldavisou]

Does this look dyed to anyone else? The color is so one-dimensional, by this I mean that the whole thing is one solid color, there's not even any variance in value (intensity of color). Also, yellow is probably the most common color for specimens to be dyed. I know other tubastreas and dendros are very brightly colored, but this one seems to have very unusual coloring. If it's not dyed, it's an amazing specimen.

Artificial coloring can be very, very hard on a coral. If it's a dye job, there's probably nothing you can do to save it. Immaculate water quality and very regular feedings will help.

 

[dendro982]

On the background is baby tubastrea - the most common kind, orange with yellow polyps, low skeleton:

Artificial yellow color - it's camera's doing, the coral is at the bottom of low light tank. But tubastrea at the same level, aside, is photographed normal.
The color is opague solid lemon yellow. I had seen light yellow tubastrea in LFSs frequently, sometimes on the same rock with normally looking orange tubastreas.

Bought it because of the unusual high skeleton, and to check, will it recover and spawn in the same tank, where orange tubastrea is doing this. But the orange one was in really good condition at purchase.

Hoped, that it will be T. aurea, judging solely by the name.

I spent most of the yesterday, checking web on the difference between Tubastrea species, and Dendrophyllia too. Found practically nothing. Evilervin ("Everything you want to know about turastrea") posted photos of the skeletons for Dendrophyllia and Tubastrea, but without mentioning, from where this information come. Pity.

The lack of information is really amazing - when so much info is available for most other corals.

Still interested, will be there some difference in requirements and behavior

 

[Qckwzrd]

Ask EvilErvin, He knows alot about Tubastrea
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=195870&page=5&highlight=tubastrea

 

[dendro982]

More, than is readily available, but not all - I had read all his information already