Wierd digi color morph?

[pIankton]

I bought some of that "Fire orange" type digi from a LFS a few months ago. The stuff that has a bright orange skeleton with really bright orange polyps. Anyway, I've noticed that the colors are changing a little which was to be expected.

Now, it still has really bright orange polyps, but the main skeleton is baby blue and the skeleton at the new growth tips is green. Of course the very tips are white.

Just didn't know if this was a particular type out there, or if it's just another color morph based on different lighting. Anyway, thought I'd share. I'll try to snap some pics.

[pIankton]

Not the best pics, but you get the idea. First with PE, second after being messed with - third at a different angle...

[purplereef]

That's a sweet looking Superman Digi. you have there!

[acrylic_300]

Are you sure it's not a green digi with orange polyps and blue nuances from your lighting?

Green base Orange polyp digis are very uncommon but not rare.

[pIankton]

I thought it was orange / brown base with orange polyps when I got it, then thought it was green base with orange polyps, but over the past few weeks, I've noticed that the main skeleton is blue. The new skeleton right under the white growth tips is green.

In the last pic, you can really see the difference on the wide fat branch to the furthest right side. White (looks kind of gray in the pic) tips, then fades to green, then it's blue all the way down to the base.

[Justin74]

Originally posted by acrylic_300
Are you sure it's not a green digi with orange polyps and blue nuances from your lighting?

Green base Orange polyp digis are very uncommon but not rare.

I agree with this observation. They are fairly uncommon, but by chance are fairly common here in Sac and the bay area.

I believe the coloration takes on a more blue affect due to the coralites being more prominantly raised along the branches and base of the body(being raised an often white, will reflect the blue light that's being showered on it, especially considering how much blue you can see all around the coral in the picture) as opposed to the growth tips of the digi as it is still forming and appears more spread out making the green more prominant becuase the valleys between the coralites where the green pigment is more visually apparent. The blueing reflection from the lights on the coralites will only be increased by good flow as the coral compacts itself to accomodate for this. Some of the most brilliant green and orange digis Ive seen were in low to moderate flow because the coral had a more smoother surface due to lack of strong flow. Seeing a true superman digi though is no comparison; blue to the tips. Just an observation I thought I would share

-Justin

[twon8]

it's not a digi but rather a M. samarensis, and i have one with green base and orange polyps. ive had it for a while.

[acrylic_300]

I have one also...I always wondered why it had a different growth pattern than the digis. If that growth pattern is the distinguishing characteristic of samarensis then I also have a purple one with blue polyps.

[twon8]

from coralsearch:
Characters: Colonies are clumps of thin (up to 6 mm thick) branches which may be irregularly fused or form compact thickets. Corallites are immersed in distinctive pits. Colour: Pale brown, sometimes with white branch tips. Similar species: Montipora digitata, which has thicker, smoother branches. See also M. altasepta.

the samarensis has more bumps on the branches, this pic explains it better than i can

[Marko9]

Justin74 has a great point. It originated in the Bay as ROAB's orange with green base digi. It was on the old exotic reefs. Now it is a $20-$25 frag in local clubs.

[Justin74]

Twon, ya more than likely for that matter I think the commmon misnaming of the digi is just like how the plating monti also get's passed around as a monti capricornis, when theres just as likely a chance as it being a foliosa or something else if not more likely than an actual M. capricornis. Same difference

But you knew what I meant, right?

-Justin

[flyyyguy]

interesting.

thanks twon..........I wont be wrongly referring to my samarensis as a digi anymore

[pIankton]

Very cool - I dust assumed it was a plain old digi. The mother colony in the background has really wide flattened tips too.

Excellent observation.

Thanks twon.