Can anyone identify this coral?

[KidK9]

Hey all, for my photo records, I'm trying to find the common name and the scientific name of the Yellow Tube Coral in this link. Thanks a ton. I took the shot in Turks and Caicos.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=124937

 

[archman]

Man, you need to pick up some Humann guides! They would help you out immensely.

As to your "yellow tube coral", to which pic are you referring? There is a a yellow tube sponge in one pic. But you also have another yellow tube sponge (possibly a different species) in two others, along with a whole heap of other sponges in other pics.

There are also various hard and soft corals, fire corals, filamentous brown algae, calcareous green algae, and I think I even saw some compound tunicates.

Basically, you have a smorgasbord of marine life in these pics. It's a very diverse community you have photographed.

 

[KidK9]

LoL, this is true. I'm looking for the first row, third picture from the left.

 

[rockjock3]

LoL, this is true. I'm looking for the first row, third picture from the left.

Yellow tube coral sounds like as good a name as any to me. Any more votes on this?

 

[TheRedHead]

Yellow Tube Sponge.

 

[KidK9]

OK enough with the jokes! Just kidding. Anybody seriously help me with this?

 

[TheRedHead]

It's really not a joke. The photo you are referencing is a Yellow Tube Sponge. It's not a coral.

 

[archman]

LoL, this is true. I'm looking for the first row, third picture from the left.

Identifying most sponges from photos isn't very accurate. You need to take a chunk of mesohyl and look at the skeletal matrix under a microscope. The sponge in question might be an Aplysina , but it's difficult to rule out Pseudoceratina, Cliona, or other similar-looking genera.

"Yellow Tube Sponge" is appropriate.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Yep. Whoever named this sponge lacks any creativity.

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461517761/Purple_and_Yellow_Tube_Sponge.html

 

[KidK9]

Well okey dokey then. Yellow Tube Sponge it is. Does Humann give it a scientific name?