Yellow acro id and a weird growth?

[nova65ss]

Picked this up today wondering what kind it is and what the two mouths are on the side some type of barnacle or something? Thank you!

 

[Frick]

I am thinking it is a Acropora formosa with a barnacle grown in the branch.
http://coral.aims.gov.au/speciesPages/species_metadata/0029/view#

I was kinda thinking it was an A. yongei, but the corallites and their arrangement are not similar.
http://coral.aims.gov.au/speciesPages/species_metadata/0081/view#

 

[nova65ss]

Thanks Frick!

 

[SushiGirl]

The "barnacle" could be this.

 

[Frick]

The "barnacle" could be this.

I have seen those polychaete worms. They are always better to see than the ones with teeth. They will hang out in the rock but they can not build any type of structure like what is seen in the Acro branch.

http://www.arkive.org/acorn-barnacle/semibalanus-balanoides/

 

[SushiGirl]

Ooooh, thanks for the link! ID links always make me happy LOL.

 

[Frick]

Ooooh, thanks for the link! ID links always make me happy LOL.

No problem. That one wound be nice if it had a better browsing layout. You pretty much have to know what you are looking for on that one.

 

[nova65ss]

So this thing actually does have a fan that comes out and actually about five others in other places that do not have the mouth this one does. They come out of some of the polyps weirdest thing I have ever seen. Truly a wild piece.

From the side

 

[Frick]

Yep that is a barnacle. That is how they feed.