encrustingacro
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Do any of you have an Astraeosmilia? If so, please show off your coral!
Astraeosmilia is a genus of trumpet corals that was split off from Caulastrea in 2021 based micromorphological and molecular data.
A. curvata is the most common Astraeosmilia--and arguably the most common trumpet coral--in the hobby. They have small (~8 mm), spaced-out corallites on long branches, although in captivity, the corallites usually inflate and become compact. In the coral trade, A. curvata constitute the teal and neon-green morphs.
Astraeosmila curvata; New Caledonia | Credit: Damien Brouste
A. connata, being a Western Indian Ocean endemic, is not found in the coral trade. This coral has the largest corallites of the Astraeosmilia, being ~25mm max.
Astraeosmilia connata; Seychelles | Credit: Juan José Areso
A. tumida is described from Western Australia, though it likely occurs throughout the Andaman-West Pacific. This species is rarely found in the coral trade, although some specimens have been imported when Fiji reopened.
Astraeosmilia cf tumida; Fiji | Credit: Debra Baker
A. maxima was a Dipsastraea before it was moved to Astraeosmilia (and before that, Favia) and differs from the other members in its genus in being plocoid instead of phaceloid. It is differentiated from Dipsastraea by having a fleshy coenosarc, even when not inflated, compared to the ridged/beaded coenosarc in Dipsastraea.
Astraeosmilia maxima; New Caledonia | Credit: Damien Brouste
There is a misconception stemming from a Reef Builders article that Astraeosmilia has larger corallites than Caulastrea, but the article leaves out some context. Of the four genera (curvata, tumida, connata, maxima) reclassified to Astraeosmilia, only three (tumida, connata, maxima) have larger corallites; curvata has corallites that range from the same size as to a few mm smaller than Caulastrea furcata.
Astraeosmilia is a genus of trumpet corals that was split off from Caulastrea in 2021 based micromorphological and molecular data.
A. curvata is the most common Astraeosmilia--and arguably the most common trumpet coral--in the hobby. They have small (~8 mm), spaced-out corallites on long branches, although in captivity, the corallites usually inflate and become compact. In the coral trade, A. curvata constitute the teal and neon-green morphs.
Astraeosmila curvata; New Caledonia | Credit: Damien Brouste
A. connata, being a Western Indian Ocean endemic, is not found in the coral trade. This coral has the largest corallites of the Astraeosmilia, being ~25mm max.
Astraeosmilia connata; Seychelles | Credit: Juan José Areso
A. tumida is described from Western Australia, though it likely occurs throughout the Andaman-West Pacific. This species is rarely found in the coral trade, although some specimens have been imported when Fiji reopened.
Astraeosmilia cf tumida; Fiji | Credit: Debra Baker
A. maxima was a Dipsastraea before it was moved to Astraeosmilia (and before that, Favia) and differs from the other members in its genus in being plocoid instead of phaceloid. It is differentiated from Dipsastraea by having a fleshy coenosarc, even when not inflated, compared to the ridged/beaded coenosarc in Dipsastraea.
Astraeosmilia maxima; New Caledonia | Credit: Damien Brouste
There is a misconception stemming from a Reef Builders article that Astraeosmilia has larger corallites than Caulastrea, but the article leaves out some context. Of the four genera (curvata, tumida, connata, maxima) reclassified to Astraeosmilia, only three (tumida, connata, maxima) have larger corallites; curvata has corallites that range from the same size as to a few mm smaller than Caulastrea furcata.
