porites sp? id

[Snappy]

Hey Kevin,
Just thought I'd lean on your expertize. The piece below was a volunteer that grew on the base rock of a wild acro I got some time ago and I can't find anything that looks like it in any of my books, including Veron's COTW. I am assuming it is porites but can't decide the exact species. I know in the picture it almost looks like a scroll but I don't think it is. Any ideas?

 

[kevinpo]

Hi Greg,
Do the polyps come out at night and are they large and yellow?

Kevin

 

[Snappy]

Hi Greg,
Do the polyps come out at night and are they large and yellow?

Kevin

A little bit but the polyps are very small.

 

[kevinpo]

Yes it looks like Turbinaria. How thick is the skeleton? Is it like a plating Montipora or thicker like T. reniformis? Because of the widely spaced corallites it looks like Turbinaria or Montipora. The Porites I've seen have more polyp extension and are closer together. Porites also have a very distinct smell much different than Acropora or Montipora. Here is a picture of my Turbinaria reniformis. Notice how much larger the corallites are. Montipora has much smaller corallites and often a lighter growing margin.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Snappy]

Kevin,
I know it's hard to tell from the picture but I am sure is isn't an LPS like that, I have 3 different versions of Turbinaria reniformis and it is nothing like them. I am sure it is porites, I just can't find anything on that exact type. It mostly encrusts but when it ran out of room it started plating like a monti. I guess I'll have to break a piece off and smell it. Maybe it is a monti? It is also very thin.

 

[Snappy]

I think it is fairly close to this, although it doesn't have the nice colour.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1226737

 

[Rod Buehler]

From the pic, I would also agree that it is a porities sp. Which one?? I dont know. I dont even positively ID acros from pics even when I am fairly certain of the species.

 

[Snappy]

I think it is fairly close to this, although it doesn't have the nice colour.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1226737

Maybe I'll break off a piece and put it in an area that has a lot of light, perhaps it might colour up?

 

[kevinpo]

I can't find anything that looks much like it. If Porites they are highly variable in coloration depending on light intensity and spectrum. Another nice thing about Porities is that they are very hardy and grow well. I think it can colored up to purple or blue with the right lighting if it is indeed Porities.

Regards,
Kevin