Feather Coral

Appearance

Colours seen include brown, grey, cream to blue, purple and green, with white tentacle tips. Colonies are free-living and elongate, with an axial furrow that may become indistinct. Colonies are occasionally Y, T or X shaped. Centres are evenly distributed over the upper surface. Primary septa are short and elliptical or petaloid. Secondary septa usually fuse around the primaries to form a background matrix. Tentacles are usually extended during the day; they are long and numerous. Skeleton longer than broad (15-25cm long) usually with rounded ends. Sometimes also oval and other irregular shapes. It has a central furrow but this is usually not distinct in large old animals. The upper side has tiny short lines that form petal-shaped, radial patterns, instead of parallel lines as in other mushroom corals. There are mouths in the central furrow as well as scattered elsewhere on the body. Tentacles are short, cylindrical to conical and white-tipped. When the tentacles are extended, they hide the skeleton and give the animal a furry look.

Naming

'Talpina' means 'mole' in Latin possibly referring to its velvety texture which resembles the fur of a mole.
Other common names include Slipper Coral, Tongue Coral, Feather Coral, Plate Coral, Mole Coral.

Distribution

Indo-Pacific.

Status

Least Concern.

Habitat

Reef slopes, especially where Fungia is common.

Reproduction

Zooxanthellae; free-living. Mature gametes are shed into the coelenteron and spawned through the mouth. Life cycle: The zygote develops into a planktonic planula larva. Metamorphosis begins with early morphogenesis of tentacles, septa and pharynx before larval settlement on the aboral end.

Uses

The Slipper Coral P. talpina can be easy to care for if it has proper substrate placement, proper lighting and water movement, and regular daily feeding. The Polyphyllia genus is the most tolerant as far as lighting goes, and it can handle a little higher lighting than other fungiids. It is quite hardy.

These corals have been propagated in captivity and are readily available, yet buyers need to be aware of what they are purchasing. When their polyps are out, the Polyphyllia corals strongly resemble members of the Herpolitha genus such as the Tongue Coral H. limax genus. You can tell the difference between these two genera, because the Polyphyllia spp. lack a distinct central groove (also called an axial furrow). They do have an axial furrow but their many tentacles cover the surface and hide it.