sps ID please
 

Been debating this with a few different people and need to find whom if anyone is right on this id!!
suggestions so far:
-acro efflo
-turbinaria
-montipora undata
Any one agree with any of these or have another idea?
Its the purple piece with the green outer edge right next to the red monti.

def a monti of some sorts

reason being?

cant say for sure but well it doesnt look like an acro effo to me and it could be a turbinaria but it looks more like a purple montipora to me the green rim is interesting though:)

Oops.

It is definitely not a Monti undata. I would need a better photo to ID well. I can't even tell if those are small polyps on the surface...? If those are small polyps it is definitely not Turbinaria sp. It might be A efflo, but I would need to see a better photo. Please try to get a clear macro photo. Either remove it to a photo box or try macro setting and zoom in.

don't really want to remove it, I'll try for a better pic but its at the center of a corner bow front so good pics are hard to come by!!

here's a try at another pic

Hmmm...those little lighter specs on the surface...are those polyps or?

It's either a monti or some type of LPS...is it fleshy to the touch? It definately is not an acro.

It's not fleshy it's definately stoney. And yes those are polyps poking up.

Ok, this is a toughy. If there are definite polyps growing at the top of each of the bumps on the top surface and definite polyps growing at the tips of each of the bumps on the growth edge then I'd lean more towards a. efflo (acropora tend to grow from their polyps where as monti's tend to extend their edges or tips without growing from a definte corallite). Here's an acro with a similar growth for but you can see the corallites which the "bumps" grow from (link). There are a few acros that can start growing like what you have, A. solitaryensis is one of them.

If the growth edge is relatively polyp free and the top surface has polyps growing between the bumps (verruculli I think they're called?) then it's definitely a montipora of some sort, though god knows what kind. Could be m. undata, but I don't think it is. Could be a Ly Seng?

I think you might just have to narrow it to which family it's from first.

Do you have an info like where it's from, how long you've had it (how old is it), etc that could help us narrow it down?

It's definately only got polyps on the established area. There isn't any polyps on the outer"growing" area. It does look very similar in style to the undata in the last link.

I don't think it's an undata..I had one and this one doesn't look like it at all. But having said that...I have no clue what it could be...just know it's not m. undata.

Is it possible that this one and yours are different types of undata?

I had a tyree true Undata...I'll try and find a picture of it...but the polyp structure/layout doesn't look the same...

poor photo:
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...3/IMG_0318.jpg

Ya, it doesn't look like that at all.

Well, from what you have said I am positive it's a montipora, however, I'm pretty convinced that's not a m. undata. The two things that give that away are:

- the growth edge: m. undata has a smoother growth edge. Granted this can change depending on flow conditions but it general yours is too "gnarly" to be undata.

-The verrucae are too shallow and the corralites are too even and regular and are not fused into ridges, which is one of the identifying features of undata (and m. danae for that matter, which is commonly confused for undata)

Most of the time when you find picture of m. undata on the net, it's not actually undata... just kinda looks like it or they're really just making their best guess.

Montipora are probably the hardest to ID as there is so much variation not just within the species but with external stresses as well. And, without a geographical location it's almost impossible. You might have to wait for it to grow up a bit and see what it does or just settle with the fact that it's a sexy mystery monti. Or you can send me a frag and I can "take a closer look" :razz:.

I like that!! I'm go na leave it at sexy monti for now till it grows a bit more!!
It's grown about an inch in diameter in the last 2 months so maybe I'll post up a pic then!!

Considering those are polyps on top I'm going to say it is most likely an SPS. The way those polyps are located (in the divots instead of on the top of the bumps, and not on the growing edge) lead me to believe it is a Montipora. That is all I am confident on without a real good macro photo. My best guess right now is either M palawanensis or M verrucosa, but yours looks a bit different than these that I have seen in person. I'm no expert SPS identifier though. Have you tried on Reef Central? They have some real SPS gurus on there!

lol, i did try RC as well as NR but got more replies and solid info here way faster!!

Ya, getting replies from someone who knows what they are talking about on RC can be tough. Lots of newbies, and the old timers don't have time to sift through the 5 million new posts everyday.

+1 monti of some type. It will be very original with that colour combo. Beautiful.

I thought it might be a m. palawanensis as well. Actually, I'm like 80% sure that's what it is but without a macro and goegraphical info I can't say and I don't want to be wrong. The way the corallites are spaced and have an angled look is what makes me think that... but again, I dunno.

I wanna name it, I wanna name it... Cuz's Sexy Purple Monster

Ya, I was/am leaning more towards M palawanensis than M verrucosa, but wanted to throw that out there too. We should be able to ID it with a good macro even if he can't tell us where it came from. I also dislike being wrong.

Screw macro, just send me a piece!:razz:

^ Good call. I would like a piece too - for close inspection of course! ;)

Cuz's Sexy Purple Monster[/quote]

Love it!!lol

I think its got a ways to grow before it can be snipped!!

thanks for the help all!!