Scrolling vs plating vs tabling

[Tzwizzle]

Hey all. I find these terms very confusing. Does anyone have examples of these different types of growth? Especially when it comes to montis. So monti caps scroll or do they plate? what about monti undatas? Thanks

 

[GhostCon1]

This is a scrolling monti

This is a plating monti

Notice the tighter spacing in the first pic and how it "scrolls" upwards rather than plating outwards like a dinner plate.

Montiporas do not table - that is only acropora:

In summary,

Caps plate.

Undatas encrust (might be wrong, there could be some that do other types, but my experience is they just encrust).

Tabling acropora grow from a central branch and then fan out, parallel to the surface.

HTH

EDIT: sorry for the giant pic

 

[Tzwizzle]

Taken from the LA website

"The Montipora Coral, Plating is a small polyp stony (SPS) coral often referred to as a Vase Coral. Montipora Corals come in a vast variety of forms and colors. M. capricornis is shaped like a vase; M. digitata is generally a branching species; M. stellata has rough, irregular, upright plates. Other species are encrusting. This form of Montipora is plating and will add diversity to your reef aquarium."

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=1471

So M. cap is shaped like a vase means its scrolling? But both the website and you say it's plating? :rollface:

 

[yano]

Your scrolling monti photo is a turbinaria, not a montipora.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

That does look like an LA Laker type Turbanaria; but the idea is right. Maybe a better name for "scrolling" is "whirling."