Aussie Archohelia Rediviva (Strange, rare coral?)

[nickihn]

Here is a little clearer pic.

Looks like a cladocora to me. These come in a lot as hitchhikers and are very cool imo.

I think this might very well be it. As it grows we will definitely be able to tell. While we were looking up cladocora we found a more specific dendro ID. It looks like it might be Phyllangia americana. So that means that both probably came in as hitchhikers from the gulf of mexico. Interesting. We will keep researching, but that seems to fit the puzzle pieces at the moment.

 

[screebo]

I'll be in line with a smile on my face! Love the dark circles around those juicy polyps! Great contrasts and a beautiful piece, Jason. I'd sure expect that you must have paid a buck two eighty for that one!

 

[JRocha]

That is one sweet looking coral. I would love to get my hands on something like that. one rare and illegal coral I would love to get my hands on which is a terrible thought is black coral that grows in the waters of Belize. it grows in about the 80 to 200 ft depth. It's endangered but when I went there a few years back to the island ambergris caye they sold jewelry made out of it and had a entire store full of it. they only sell it as jewelry and not a live coral. I can't say that I didn't buy some jewelry since I have never seen it before had to have it. comes with a whole little history about it. Anybody ever seen it in the trade before?

 

[GreshamH]

Most jewelry is made from "black coral" which is actually a gorgonian. They do tend to grow deeper. Did it have yellow polyps?

 

[JRocha]

I don't know what color the polyps the jewelry I bought were, but I was reading till 2 am last night about black coral and yes you're right about it being a type of gorgonian. they come in all differnet colors depending on depth and genus. I believe there are 5 or so different types of black coral. Yes they grow in deeper waters but I saw something on youtube about hawaii has some shallow water black coral that they use for jewelry. I want some live black coral to match my necklace. I want the kind that has thorns on it.

 

[GreshamH]

It's normally found deep but it'll grow in shallow water if transplanted. Around these parts I probably have the most hands on with it as it was on our permits in Baja to bring in... so I got one a while back and had it for a while until a tank incident.

There is a big old one just off a dock near the village that used to collect for us. It was dropped there in the 80's by a diver that brought too many others up.

 

[JRocha]

So are you telling me that you can get your hands on some for me? I have no problem paying for all the costs. That is something that I really want.