greenbean36191
06/05/2004, 07:38 PM
I've been trying to answer all of the required questions for a soft coral ID. The problem is that most of the questions are about the polyp location and appearance. Well this coral has no visible polyps, day or night, but is growing, and doing well. I would say if anything this coral only seems to have siphonozooid polyps, but that isn't one of the choices. Here is a pic. It looks like this, basicly unchanged day and night (minor contraction at night). If anyone else can help me with the questions I can't answer I would appreciate it.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/575/30947Unknown.jpg
Is the colony monomorphic or dimorphic?
Do the polyps have anthosteles? no
Is there a capitulum (polyp bearing surface)?
Are polyps found all overthe colony, or in areas?
Are they on primary stalks, secondary branches, tertiary branches, or terminal branches only?
Are they clustered at the end in catkins?
Do the polyps withdraw completely into the tissue?
Or do they contract/shrink/fold up but not withdraw (pull back)?
Or do they do nothing?
Is there a daytime/nightime contaction behavior of the colony? yes, minor contraction at night
Is the colony branching, lumpy, encrusting, stalked, etc.? it forms an encrusting base with these upward pointing fingers
Are there sclerites visible? no
If so, do they project through the tissue? How about at the polyps? n/a
Are they colored? n/a
What color is the colony? pink
Is the colony stiff and firm or soft and flaccid (no jokes, please)? stiff and firm
Is the colony smooth or rough? smooth
Is the colony dry feeling or slippery feeling? dry
How old is the colony? Is it full grown or still growing? about 2 months and still growing, but the fingers seem to reach a maximum height of around 1.5- 2''
Does it have stolons? yes, a solid layer
How does it grow? By length, mass, creeping, budding, etc.? It slowly encrusts the rock and sends up new fingers as the size of the mat increases.
Does it produce asexual daughter colonies and how? no
Does the colony have a strong odor out of water? yes, much like a sarcophyton
How large is the colony? Each finger is about 1.5- 2'' tall and 1/4'' in diameter. The entire colony is about the size of a silver dollar.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/575/30947Unknown.jpg
Is the colony monomorphic or dimorphic?
Do the polyps have anthosteles? no
Is there a capitulum (polyp bearing surface)?
Are polyps found all overthe colony, or in areas?
Are they on primary stalks, secondary branches, tertiary branches, or terminal branches only?
Are they clustered at the end in catkins?
Do the polyps withdraw completely into the tissue?
Or do they contract/shrink/fold up but not withdraw (pull back)?
Or do they do nothing?
Is there a daytime/nightime contaction behavior of the colony? yes, minor contraction at night
Is the colony branching, lumpy, encrusting, stalked, etc.? it forms an encrusting base with these upward pointing fingers
Are there sclerites visible? no
If so, do they project through the tissue? How about at the polyps? n/a
Are they colored? n/a
What color is the colony? pink
Is the colony stiff and firm or soft and flaccid (no jokes, please)? stiff and firm
Is the colony smooth or rough? smooth
Is the colony dry feeling or slippery feeling? dry
How old is the colony? Is it full grown or still growing? about 2 months and still growing, but the fingers seem to reach a maximum height of around 1.5- 2''
Does it have stolons? yes, a solid layer
How does it grow? By length, mass, creeping, budding, etc.? It slowly encrusts the rock and sends up new fingers as the size of the mat increases.
Does it produce asexual daughter colonies and how? no
Does the colony have a strong odor out of water? yes, much like a sarcophyton
How large is the colony? Each finger is about 1.5- 2'' tall and 1/4'' in diameter. The entire colony is about the size of a silver dollar.