How related are they?
Same family, Lobophylliidae (Lobophylliid corals): close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Tonga Mussa Coral belongs to Homophyllia, the Scoly Coral to Lobophyllia (carpet brain coral).
Find the Tonga Mussa Coral on the tree · Find the Scoly 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 | Tonga Mussa Coral | Scoly 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 | Homophyllia | Lobophyllia carpet brain coral |
| Species | — | Lobophyllia vitiensis Scoly Coral |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Tonga Mussa Coral | Scoly Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Coral · LPS coral | Coral · LPS coral |
| Care level | Moderate | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Photosynthetic | Photosynthetic |
| Favorite foods | Mysis shrimp, Enriched brine shrimp, Finely chopped krill or clam | Mysis shrimp, Brine shrimp (enriched), Chopped krill or shrimp |
| Max size | — | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Minimum tank | — | 30 gal |
| Temperature | 75–80 °F | 74–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.024–1.026 | 1.023–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 5–15 ppm | — |
| Lifespan | 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. | No fixed lifespan. A single scoly can live for many years in a stable aquarium if it is fed and kept out of harm's way; growth is slow. |
| Breeding | Moderate | Hard |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |