Is Blastomussa a brain coral?

[skinz78]

What are your thoughts, to me Blasto's look to be a brain coral?

[charlie]

Here ya go.

www.asira.org - Blastomussa & Micromussa

[skinz78]

Yes but it doesn't say if it is a type of brain or not?

[charlie]

They are a different family, so technically, I am gonna say no. JMHO

[zhenya]

They are a different family, so technically, I am gonna say no. JMHO

Actually... They are the same family but different genus. For example, Lobophyllia, Blastomussa, Acanthastrea and even Cynarina belong to the same family Mussidae. However, only lobos are called comonly brain coral(lobed brain coral in this case). That;s the problem with comon names...
So, skinz, stop stirring up the pot...

PS. Forgot to add Symphyllia to this family as this coral also called brain coral(closed brain... )

PPS. Charlie, I know you meant to say that these are different family from the open brains (Trachyphyllidae family), and you are 100% correct.

[charlie]

Gene is right!!!! I do believe I worded that wrong!!!

[Ninong]

Yes but it doesn't say if it is a type of brain or not?

What's a brain coral?

Dozens of different corals in several genera across two families, Faviidae and Mussidae, are called "brain" corals. That's simply an English common name that is used to describe a shape. Anything that looks like the human brain to you, feel free to call it a brain coral.

The term "brain coral" is totally meaningless. Even more meaningless than the common name "scooter blenny," which is used to describe several different species of fish, none of which are blennies.



P.S. -- The most common English common name that I have heard to describe Blastomussa is pineapple coral but there are at least four or five other common names, all just as meaningless. And yes, some people call it a brain coral. Are they wrong? Of course not. Are they right? Of course not. They're neither right nor wrong. You can call it whatever you feel like calling it but it has only one real name, Blastomussa. That's it's generic name. There are two species in that genus. One has large polyps, Blastomussa wellsi, and one has small polyps, B. merleti.

Common names for corals tend to describe shapes. So anything that looks like a human brain is called a brain coral. Anything that looks like a stag's antlers is called a staghorn coral. That dates back to before we discovered writing and not long after we discovered fire.

Fortunately we have come a long way since then and finally realized that each animal should have one name and only one name in every language on the planet. So a Blastomussa is a Blastomussa in every language. It also has probably two or three hundred different common names, at least.

[Seige]

The LFS I was at late last week called it a Blasta Masa. ;-) At least they came close...