[baconbits]

maybe I'm a little slow, but I am having a hard time differentiating LPS, SPS, and softies. Do you just have to memorize this stuff or is there a way to classify by physical characteristics. I am a horticulturist by profession and can classify a zillion plants by looking at them, but this is greek to me!

[Poseidon]

Sure thing, easy to stuff.

LPS: Large Polyp Stoney

SPS: Small Polyp Stoney

[baconbits]

ok i guess i need to be a little more specific. I knew what the acronym stood for. I mean actually categorizing corals. For instance, can I look at at a given unknown coral and say ah ha because it has such and such characteristics this must be a... (insert coral type here).

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by baconbits

ok i guess i need to be a little more specific. I knew what the acronym stood for. I mean actually categorizing corals. For instance, can I look at at a given unknown coral and say ah ha because it has such and such characteristics this must be a... (insert coral type here).

Well, you can possibly identify corals to a genus level but pinning them to a species level is impossible without examining sceleton under a microscop in case of stony corals and examining sclerites in case of the softies.
As far as difference between soft and hard stony corals,it is quite abvious.One has the bicorbanate sceleton and one does not.
To help with id'g corals and learn more about them one should obtain a good book about them,something like E.H.Borneman's "Aquarium Corals"( and there is quite a few more). The more you'll read and look at some pictures in that book the more easier it will become to physically differentiate them to certain groops.Your question is actually quite the loaded question and I don't think there is a very easy way to do it,except that sceleton thing.

[Reefland]

But you can pretty much tell by looking at the visible appearance of a coral and determine if it is a Soft Coral, Large Polyped Stoney Coral or Small Polyped Stoney Coral.

Scott Z.

[baconbits]

thanks all, you have answered my question