Mosses: Spiky-Peacock, or Both?

[Kashta]

I find contradictory sources to say (1) these are the same moss, and (2) these are two different moss species under the same genus. Both sources I find (here and at aquamoss.net) are citing Dr. Benito Tan as their authority.

Which is correct? I have searched this forum, as well, and find this determination still being debated as of 2008.

Is there a consensus now? Is there a credible authority now that outweighs the other reports?

I've also read that use of the common name "Peacock" is discouraged because that was previously attributed to a different terrestial moss. That is fine, I can accept that. But this doesn't answer the question whether these are two different species or one and the same.

Please advise? Thanks.

[Kashta]

Would someone help with this? I think it's important to be as accurate as possible and you guys know a lot more about this than I do. I've already tried to figure this out on my own.

Thanks.

[lampeye]

AFAIK, this http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=49710 is the last word on the subject. Check out the sticky at the top of this moss forum!

Now, there are people who follow the (former) killies.com guidelines and moss-lore, and there are those, who, unfortunately don't. Having been an avid reader of killies.com, I can say that the weight of moss expertise, due to both Dr. Tan and the killies.com crew, definitely lies most heavily on the killies.com side of things. Any claims made elsewhere...I would advise some healthy skepticism.

[Kashta]

Thanks, lampeye. I'd been through that sticky and these threads. Even used the search function here to see if something had been posted about this identification with a later date. I saw this thread was done in 2005, while the aquamoss.net page was updated after that... then no updates since. lol. It just surprises me with so many people interested in moss that no one has bothered to put samples of both through a microscope and publish those findings anywhere.

At least here in the US, people are still selling moss under the name Peacock. The moss I'm able to find from overseas is called Spiky. Are they the same? Who knows. The Spiky Moss I got does look different from the Peacock stuff I had from before. But all that means is the water conditions, temperature, lighting, and so on weren't the same, which of course, they weren't.