What makes a palythoa a palythoa?

[d.grcich]

Came across a question that got me thinking and I am not sure of the answer. What is the difference between zoanthid and Palythoa? I thought it was just a larger polyp zoanthid but that is just going off my assumption.

 

[d.grcich]

I found nothing on the net so far for an answer. Nobody here knows the difference?

 

[impur]

I'm interested as well. Might as well take it to the next step and ask about protopalys and how the three are different.

 

[Pufferpunk]

http://www.farms-of-thesea.com/catalog/includes/languages/english/html/seamat.pdf

 

[Bwlr]

Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Anthozoa

Subclass: Hexacorallia (Zoantharia)

Order: Zoanthidea (Zoanthiniaria)

Suborder: Brachycnemina​

Family: Zoanthidae​

Family: Neozoanthidae​

Suborder: Macrocnemina​

Family: Epizoanthidae​

Family: Parazoanthidae​

​

Genus Palythoa, Genus Protopalythoa, and Genus Zoanthus are in the Family: Zoanthidae.

"Zoanthid taxonomy is currently in a state of chaos, with many described species, very few of which can be reliably identified." W.J. Burnett et al 1997

 

[vetteman]

I think Paly's taste more salty than Zoa's :tongue2:

 

[d.grcich]

Good link Pufferpunk I have been looking for hours for that info. Probably took you two minutes to find it:mad:

Vetteman thanks I needed a good laugh

 

[Pufferpunk]

LOL, had it saved in my Favorites, cause there's also an article on fragging pink yumas.

 

[Kigs!]

palys squirt further when fragging...:lol: also i can never seem to become immune to their toxin, no matter how many times i touch some of'em, my fingers still sting like hell...

 

[Zeppelin]

This question has been asked on RC several times, and the best, easiest answer I have seen so far is this:

"The easiest way to seperate these two genera (with Protopalythoa being included in Palythoa) is simple. Palythoa are in the family Sphenopidae, which take up sand and other small particles to help build their structure. Polyp, colony, coenenchyme (the "mat" tissue) and oral disk shape, as well as color, all are very flexible even within not only genera but also within species. Note that Epizoanthus and Parazoanthus also are encrusting (take up sand).

Zoanthus are in Zoanthidae (along with Isaurus and Acrozoanthus) and don't take up sand.

If you are not sure which type of zoanthid you have, take a high-res digital photo, and then zoom in. If you can see sand particles in the tissue, you aren't looking at a Zoanthus!"

Quote courtesy of jreimer on RC.

 

[gflat65]

Yup Yup. I usually police the threads on RC to make sure that info is posted (thanks James Reimer). Sand/grit absorption seems to be the distinguishing factor. For example, look at a PD or Nuclear Green. They are Paly's. PE's are Zoanthus gigantus (PE's are smooth and PD's/NG's are gritty).

 

[Randy]

I just went to an Coral ID that was presented by Eric Borneman and learned alot about the lack of coral ID's.The one thing that was stated is that zoas are so close related that it is best to just call them Pretty.

 

[vetteman]

oh yah thanks for reminding me, Paly's are grittier when you bite down on them

 

[d.grcich]

I think Paly's taste more salty than Zoa's :tongue2:

I think we should all get together and pray. Then collect canned food and other non perishables for vetteman. :spam1:

 

[gflat65]

I just went to an Coral ID that was presented by Eric Borneman and learned alot about the lack of coral ID's.The one thing that was stated is that zoas are so close related that it is best to just call them Pretty.

In general, I agree, but when you get down to people that actually have the capacity to tell the difference (us) to some level, why not go where science has lead us? No disrespect to Borneman, but I'm gonna believe someone whose job is researching zoas over someone more generalized, though in roughly the same field... That's not to say something won't change tomorrow, but he (Reimer) wrote the classification paper on Z. gigantus and makes a living researching zoas, so I can support the main difference between Zoanthus sp. and Palythoa sp. being summed up by taking in gritty materials or not as a tangible and told as scientific fact. We may not be able to easily break it down beyond that, but we can at least go to that level. Only more studies will tell (with DNA comparisons, etc., as in the Z. gigantus study)...

 

[vetteman]

now if Jerry Springer were into Zoa's we would have had that DNA test done already and know who da baby's daddy