|
Goniopora Species Information:
Goniopora stokesi and
Goniopora pendulus are very similar looking species.
These are some of the most common Goniopora species
offered for sale in the hobby. To compare the differences
between the two, click this link:
Goniopora
Stokesi and Goniopora Pendulus Comparison
There are several factors
to consider when attempting to identify a particular
Goniopora species. These factors are: A. Growth Form,
B. Skeletal Detail, and C. External Appearance.
From my observations, it appears that there are about
5 common growth forms seen in the saltwater hobby:
1. Encrusting, 2. Massive/Sub-massive, 3. Hemispherical
(Free-Living and/or Attached), 4. Column, and 5. Branching.
 This
photo shows the skeleton of a Goniopora species with
a hemispherical growth form. Judging from the underside
of the skeleton, this particular specimen does not
appear as if it had previously been cut or broken
from a substrate or another coral colony. If it did,
the broken or cut looking area would be known as an
"attachment scar". Since it doesn't have
an attachment scar, it can be said that this is a
Free-Living specimen, which means it lived and grew
unattached to any other substrate.
 In
this close up of the skeleton, the different structures
are identified. The Corallite contains all other structures
and is the skeletal base for a single polyp. The Theca
is the wall of the corallite. The Calyx is the hollow
cup-like space within the corallite. The Septum acts
as an attachment point for polyp tissue. The Columella
is the lower center structure of the corallite and
is formed by the fusion of the septa.
When determining species,
all of these structures must be measured and compared
to arrive at a proper identification.
The thumbnails below
show the external appearance of a small variety of
different species that make up the genus Goniopora.
For further reference, please check the Photo
Gallery section of this web site. It contains
more than 250 photo's. Also, the following web site
contains pictures and some brief information regarding
the description of different species: CoralSearch:
AIMS Data Center:
http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralsearch.php
|
