[Coral-List] Coral polyp identification (organism of uknown identity

[Donald Potts]

Dear Diego,

This is almost certainly an Octocorallian polyp, although I can't take the 
identification to a lowewr taxonomic level. The internal structure seems 
to be well developed, so I would expect it to be attached to a solid 
substrate - either on the sea floor, or attached to floating algae, wood, 
plastic or other material.

The specimen is very well preserved, and the image is excellent. How large 
is it? and was the sample taken at the surface, in the water column, or on 
the bottom?

Regards

Don
***********************************************************************
Donald C. Potts

Director - CDELSI
    (Center for the Dynamics and Evolution of the Land-Sea Interface)

Professor of Biology
    Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
       & Institute of Marine Sciences
    Office:  A408 Earth & Marine Sciences Building
    Lab:     D480 Earth & Marine Sciences Building

Office: (831) 459-4417            MAIL ADDRESS:
Lab:    (831) 459-5063            A316 Earth & Marine Sciences Building
Fax:    (831) 459-4882            University of California
Cell:   (831) 435-9323            Santa Cruz
Email:  potts at biology.ucsc.edu    California  95064  U.S.A. 
***********************************************************************

> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:53:03 +0000
> From: Diego Fernando Lozano Cort?s <di8go11 at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [Coral-List] Coral polyp identification (organism of uknown identity)
> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Message-ID: <SNT113-W2904CED42B29E7D768D4CEF23D0 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; 
> charset="windows-1252"
>
> Hello List,
>
> During an oceanographic sampling (2006) this organism was collected in a 
> zooplaknton bongo net (30 cm mouth opening; 250 um mesh) on Gorgona 
> Island, Tropical Eastern Pacific (see link below). And yet we have not 
> been identified. Does anyone know if this could be a coral polyp or what 
> kind of organism is?
>
> If someone thinks that know what is, please send me an email to
> di8go11 at hotmail.com
>
> Link: http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h241/carlosgm/Polipo-Gorgona2006.jpg
>
> Thank you
> very much
>
> Diego Fernando Lozano-Cort?s
>
> Senior Biology Student
> Universidad del Valle
> Cali, Colombia (Southamerica)
> Coral Reef Ecology Research Group