Merulina Coral

About

Merulina Coral (Boninastrea boninensis) is something of an oddity in the reef hobby. This is actually a monotypic genus, meaning it stands alone with no close relatives sharing its genus name. Found across shallow reef back zones in the Western Central Pacific, from the Philippines and Indonesia up to Japan, it typically grows in the upper 30 meters of the water column. The colony takes a massive, dome-like form with short but intensely convoluted valleys that give the surface a brain coral appearance, though the skeletal structure sets it apart from true brain corals. The septa are well-developed with prominent teeth, and notably there are no columellae at the valley centers. Coloration runs toward yellowish-green in the wild. In the aquarium, this coral fits best with hobbyists who already have some reef-keeping experience under their belt. It asks for moderate lighting and moderate water movement. Nothing extreme in either direction. Because it is rarely seen in the trade, there is limited hobbyist data on long-term captive care, so patience and careful observation will serve you better than relying on established husbandry guides for more common genera.