How related are they?
Same family, Lobophylliidae (Lobophylliid corals): close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Lobophyllia Coral belongs to Lobophyllia (carpet brain coral), the Tonga Mussa Coral to Homophyllia.
Find the Lobophyllia Coral on the tree · Find the Tonga Mussa Coral on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Lobophyllia Coral | Tonga Mussa Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum | Cnidaria Cnidarians | |
| Subphylum | Anthozoa Corals and sea anemones | |
| Class | Hexacorallia Hexacorals | |
| Order | Scleractinia Stony corals | |
| Suborder | Vacatina Robust corals | |
| Family | Lobophylliidae Lobophylliid corals | |
| Genus split | Lobophyllia carpet brain coral | Homophyllia |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Lobophyllia Coral | Tonga Mussa Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Coral · LPS coral | Coral · LPS coral |
| Care level | Moderate | Moderate |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Aggressive | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Photosynthetic | Photosynthetic |
| Favorite foods | Light (photosynthesis by symbiotic algae), Mysis and other frozen meaty foods, Coral pellets and powders | Mysis shrimp, Enriched brine shrimp, Finely chopped krill or clam |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 75–80 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.025 | 1.024–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 5–10 ppm | 5–15 ppm |
| Lifespan | No published lifespan. Colonies grow slowly and can persist for many years once settled; Tidal Gardens notes that survival improves the longer a coral has been in captivity. | No fixed lifespan. Like other colonial stony corals, a colony can live for many years in a stable aquarium as long as conditions stay good; growth is slow. |
| Breeding | Moderate | Moderate |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |