Monti vs Scroll vs Chalice- so confused!!

[Drake]

Hey guys,

So I must admit I'm a bit confused here. I've been doing a lot of research into the different types of corals and I'm having a hard time finding clear, concise, reliable information on the different types of corals. I've been looking at online frags and Montis, Scrolls and Chalices all look pretty much identical when you have 1'' little frags. But further searches rarely yield a photo to show their morphologies at larger sizes!! So what is the actual difference between these types of coral?! (laymans or scientific answers both encouraged). So here's my understanding-

Monti's- I feel pretty confident on these I could point out your basic Montipora. But there is some variation I am confused about. For example, I know Montipora Capricornis shelfs on top of one another forming large "cup like" shapes. Is this the only variety of Monti to do such? Also, what of Montipora Digitata? Is that the same thing as a Tabling Acropora?!

So where does that leave the other two?! When I hear Chalice I think "Cup" which brings me right back to Capricornis! Is this just a more common name and their one and the same? Or is it something entirely different? And don't even get me started on Scrolls... I'm just at a loss.

Please help!

 

[rmalone]

Well real quick here montipora come in many shapes and sizes, no digitata does not table like an acro. Some chalices are cup type but most are not. All of the montipora like reasonably high light. Chalices are LPS not SPS, and typically have well defined mouths of a different color than the skin, most chalices grow quite slow especially for an LPS, and they tend to like lower light than any of the sps. I wont comment on scrolls, no experience.

 

[AquaReeferMan]

Well to start off Chalice(Echinopora) and Scroll(Turbinaria) corals are LPS(Large Polyp Stony) while Montipora are SPS(Small Polyp Stony)

Montipora species will either plate out, encrust or branch and come in various color combinations.

Chalice species will encrust and plate. They also come in various color combinations. They main catch with chalice corals is the cool "eye" colors. They also send out wicked sweepers and can do some nasty damage to surrounding corals.

Scroll species will plate out and branch. Generally yellows and browns in color, although I know a few people who have some purple ones.

Hope this helps.

 

[droth335]

Here are some pics to show the different growth patterns of the monti caps, digis and the scroll coral you mentioned. I don't have any chalice.

In this pic are a couple of monti caps (circled in red) and a yellow scroll coral (circled in greenish). While the growth patterns may look similar the corals are very different (as noted above). Additionally, monti caps tend to be quite fragile and easy to break whereas scroll corals are extremely hard and difficult to frag:

In this picture is a montipora orange digitata. It tends to encrust and branch (which I really like). Some digitatas only branch.

 

[Drake]

Awesome info, thanks for the helps guys! So continuing on with the line of questioning then...

So digi's vs acro's. Obviously were looking at a large group of animals here but what's the difference?