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Slipper Coral
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Scientific name: Polyphyllia talpina

Distribution: Polyphyllia spp. corals are found in the Indo-Pacific region and are commonly imported from Indonesia. In the wild, this species of corals are found in the Indian Ocean, Andaman Sea, South China Sea, and Pacific Ocean.

Polyphyllia spp. corals are usually found among other fungiids, which are corals from the Fungiidae family, which Polyphyllia talpina spp. belongs. All Polyphyllia spp. corals are found on soft, muddy, sandy, and rubble-covered ocean bottoms. This genus of corals are found one to four metres (3-13 feet) deep.

Polyphyllia spp. corals are abundant and widespread in the wild.

Description: Common names for Polyphyllia spp. corals are slipper coral, tongue coral, sea mole, and mole coral. They also appear with various combinations of these common names such as mole slipper or hairy tongue coral and so on. These are the same common names as Herpolitha spp. corals so buyer beware. Polyphyllia talpina's common name is slipper coral.

Polyphyllia spp. corals are usually brown or gray, sometimes with cream or green shades. The basal (which means serving as or forming a base) tissue can become fluorescent green to teal. They are shaped like a tongue, boomerang, T, X, or Y. Their tentacles are usually brown with white tips.

Polyphyllia spp. corals strongly resemble Herpolitha when their polyps are out. You can tell the difference between the two because the Polyphyllia spp. corals lack a distinct central groove (also called an axial furrow). Polyphyllia spp. do have an axial furrow but their many tentacles cover the surface and hide it.

Polyphyllia spp. tentacles are usually horn-shaped and about two centimeters (.75 inches) long. As mentioned above, the tentacle ends are usually white tipped but they sometimes have forked ends. The polyps are extended during the day. Eric H. Borneman describes Polyphyllia talpina's tentacles as "moplike" in Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History. When the polyps are fully extended, the carpet of tentacles is all that is visible.

Polyphyllia spp. corals are flat or arched when viewed from the side.

Polyphyllia spp. have many mouths across their surface (called polystomatous) with the larger mouths sometimes aligned with the central axis or furrow.

Background: Polyphyllia talpina is credited to Lamark in 1801. The Genus Polyphyllia of which Polyphyllia talpina belongs is credited to Quoy and Gaimard in 1833. The Family Fungiidae which all Polyphyllia spp. corals belong is credited to Dana in 1846.

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Aquarium Care: Polyphyllia spp. corals are easily kept in the home aquarium as long as they are placed on a soft or rubble-covered bottom, given a slow and gentle current, and bright light. Polyphyllia spp. seem to adapt to lower light levels, making them the most tolerant of all the fungiids. They are quite hardy.

Polyphyllia talpina does not attach to a surface (rock, substrate, etc.). It is quite capable of movement and may move itself around a tank to find it's own favorable position (as will other fungiids).

With mouths all over its surface and a carpet of tentacles to catch prey, it will snare brine shrimp and other food easily.

Daughter colonies/polyps may form.

Lighting: Bright. Polyphyllia spp. does contain zooxanthellae.

Water flow: Slow and gentle.

Difficulty of Care: Polychaetes (Bristleworms), even those considered beneficial to a tank's life cycle, can irritate Polyphyllia spp. and other corals that live on the substrate.

Polyphyllia spp. corals should not be placed on rocks as they will attempt to move to a better position (the softer, sandy bottom of a tank) and the rubbing against the rocks while they attempt to move will damage the basal tissue.

If light and/or currents are too strong, Polyphyllia spp. corals will not expand / extend their polyps. If this behavior is noted, the first attempt to diagnose the problem should be adjusting the water movement / lighting where this coral is within your aquarium.

One reference (LiveAquaria.com) was found saying the tentacles can inflict series damage to neighboring corals. No information collaborating this claim was found online or in my two main books of reference: Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History by Eric H. Borneman or The Reef Aquarium: Volume One by J. Charles Delbeek and Julian Sprung.

Availability: Polyphyllia talpina is found with relative ease at online retailers. However, it is rarely found listed with it's scientific name so caution must be used as it can easily be confused with Herpolitha corals. Prices range from $20 to $75 and are based on size, with the rare colors (green etc.) commanding the highest of prices regardless of size.

by Elizabeth M. Lukan, July 17, 2006

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