How related are they?
Same family, Lobophylliidae (Lobophylliid corals): close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Scoly Coral belongs to Lobophyllia (carpet brain coral), the Tonga Mussa Coral to Homophyllia.
Find the Scoly 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 | Scoly 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 |
| Species | Lobophyllia vitiensis Scoly Coral | — |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Scoly Coral | Tonga Mussa Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Coral · LPS coral | Coral · LPS coral |
| Care level | Easy | Moderate |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Photosynthetic | Photosynthetic |
| Favorite foods | Mysis shrimp, Brine shrimp (enriched), Chopped krill or shrimp | Mysis shrimp, Enriched brine shrimp, Finely chopped krill or clam |
| Max size | 4 in (10.2 cm) | — |
| Minimum tank | 30 gal | — |
| Temperature | 74–78 °F | 75–80 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.026 | 1.024–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | — | 5–15 ppm |
| Lifespan | 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. | 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 | Hard | Moderate |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |