Description
Echinophyllia is a genus of large polyp stony corals (LPS), also known as chalice corals, found in the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. These corals are colonial and foliaceous, with thin, often plate-like or encrusting colonies. They are popular in reef aquariums due to their relatively easy care and various color variations.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
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Appearance:
Echinophyllia corals have a flat, encrusting growth habit, forming thin plates or laminae. They can have a central corallite or widely spaced radial corallites.
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Color:
They come in various colors, including gray-blue, green, brown, and red.
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Habitat:
They prefer sheltered reef environments, especially lower reef slopes and vertical surfaces.
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Care in Aquariums:
Echinophyllia corals thrive in moderately lit aquariums with low to moderate current and are sensitive to high levels of phosphate, according to Whitecorals.com.
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Scientific Classification:
Echinophyllia is a genus of large polyp stony corals, often sold under the name "Chalice Coral" due to their distinct shape and difficulty in precise species differentiation, according to Whitecorals.com.
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Similarities:
Echinophyllia corals can resemble Oxypora, but Echinophyllia species tend to have more prominent central corallites.
Key Species:
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Echinophyllia aspera (Flat Lettuce Coral): A common and encrusting type of chalice coral.
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Echinophyllia echinata: Similar in appearance to Echinomorpha nishihirai, featuring a prominent central corallite.
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Echinophyllia echinoporoides: Characterized by small, immersed corallites and exsert costae.
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Echinophyllia patula: Distinguishable by its thin laminae with widely spaced, irregular corallites.
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Echinophyllia tarae: Has a distinctive paliform crown and a compact, spongy columella.
