New research shows Hammers and Frogspawn aren't Euphyllia after all

[hds4216]

New research has shown that Hammers and Frogspawn, alongside some of their variants, aren't actually Euphyllia. The Euphyllia genus is set to shrink dramatically to reflect the fact that these species are being reclassified to a new genus - Fimbriaphyllia. The old Euphyllia genus will be left with only the Torch corals (E. glabrescens and E. paraglabrescens), the Bubble corals (E. baliensis), and the grape corals (E. cristata). The new Fimbriaphyllia genus will contain the Hammer coral (F. ancora), Frogspawn corals (F. divisa and F. paradivisa), Anchor coral (F. parancora), and the species F. yaeyamensis, which doesn't seem to have a common name.

The change is due to a variety of factors, but research indicates that these two groups originated from different ancestors and have distinctly different polyp morphology and colony structure, to the extent that they are different genera.

You can read the research here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5719963/

Certain websites, such as the US government's National Center for Biotechnology Information taxonomic database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi), and the online marine encyclopedia Reeflex (https://www.reeflex.net/kategorie/94.html#euphyllia) have already been updated to reflect this fact.

This picture illustrates some of the changes based on a phylogenetic classification.

 

[hds4216]

If any actual marine biologists have any info on this, it would be great! I'm a biologist, but not a marine one. I came across this while studying coral genetics, I'm a molecular biologist.

 

[hds4216]

Guess we have to find a new name for all those Euphyllia gardens now lol

 

[GlassMunky]

New research has shown that Hammers and Frogspawn, alongside some of their variants, aren't actually Euphyllia. The Euphyllia genus is set to shrink dramatically to reflect the fact that these species are being reclassified to a new genus - Fimbriaphyllia. The old Euphyllia genus will be left with only the Torch corals (E. glabrescens and E. paraglabrescens), the Bubble corals (E. baliensis), and the grape corals (E. cristata). The new Fimbriaphyllia genus will contain the Hammer coral (F. ancora), Frogspawn corals (F. divisa and F. paradivisa), Anchor coral (F. parancora), and the species F. yaeyamensis, which doesn't seem to have a common name.

The change is due to a variety of factors, but research indicates that these two groups originated from different ancestors and have distinctly different polyp morphology and colony structure, to the extent that they are different genera.

You can read the research here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5719963/

Certain websites, such as the US government's National Center for Biotechnology Information taxonomic database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi), and the online marine encyclopedia Reeflex (https://www.reeflex.net/kategorie/94.html#euphyllia) have already been updated to reflect this fact.

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This picture illustrates some of the changes based on a phylogenetic classification.

I thought this change already happened and as with most corals we in the hobby just don’t follow along.
acans aren’t acans, they are homophyllia but we still call them acans
There’s a few corals this is true for

 

[GlassMunky]

Guess we have to find a new name for all those Euphyllia gardens now lol

Doubtful the hobby will follow suit and keep the scientific names.

 

[jrill]

Kinda old news. We heard about this months ago

 

[Snuggs]

Guess we have to find a new name for all those Euphyllia gardens now lol

Euph-fimism

 

[piranhaman00]

^ I didnt

Interesting!

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

News to me. Thanks for the article/summary

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Hehe. Euphyllin' this change or is it all still one group for you? I think the hobby has overall continued with the traditional classification.

 

[Dburr1014]

Hehe. Euphyllin' this change or is it all still one group for you? I think the hobby has overall continued with the traditional classification.

I see what you did there.
(still think snuggs was better)

 

[encrustingacro]

I thought this change already happened and as with most corals we in the hobby just don’t follow along.
acans aren’t acans, they are homophyllia but we still call them acans
There’s a few corals this is true for

Acans are actually micromussa. Bowerbankis and scolymia are the ones that are homophyllia. There are still some acans that are still acanthastrea. These include acanthastrea echinata, subechinata, hemprichii, and rotundoflora. There is also a species of lobophyllia that is now an acan, which is acanthastrea pachysepta.

 

[Duncan62]

Acans are actually micromussa. Bowerbankis and scolymia are the ones that are homophyllia. There are still some acans that are still acanthastrea. These include acanthastrea echinata, subechinata, hemprichii, and rotundoflora. There is also a species of lobophyllia that is now an acan, which is acanthastrea pachysepta.

Somehow euphyllia garden sounds more fun. Love the pics.