Over the past 12 months, there was a slow steady trickle of new species being described. We didn’t have any sensational new species like new Acros in 2012, or any wild Astreopora like in 2011, but we did get some new chalice, moon and fungiid corals.
As these species have just now been discovered, and mostly from far flung places off the beaten path of coral collecting, there’s no telling if we’ll ever see these in our aquariums. That is, except for the new Favia camranensis which we believe we’ve already seen on aquaculture plugs, and Ctenactis triangularis which is likely to occur in isolated areas within the Indo-Pacific.
The point is that the march of progress and discovery marches on. The reason that we love corals so much is that there is always something new to learn and new envelopes to push, and the reef aquarium hobby continues its place in that tradition.
Balanopsammia wirtzi
Favia camranensis
Ctenactis triangularis
Cryptophyton jedsmithi
