Why do we use the term "Chalice?"

[returnofsid]

Maybe it's just a pet peeve of mine, but why do we use the term "Chalice?"

There are many Genus and Species of corals, that we commonly refer to, as "Chalice," yet they're vastly unrelated to one another.

Echinophyllia
Echinopora
Physophyllia
Leptoseris
Leptastria
Oxypora
Echinomorpha
Mycedium
Pectina

I'm sure there are more, but that's a list, off the top of my head, of corals that are generically referred to, as "Chalices." WHY??!!

[kurt_n]

A couple reasons, in my opinion...

1. "Chalices" are the new Acans, so if you call it a Chalice you can set a higher sell price than if you call it Oxypora.

2. For the same reason people use the term "Brain Coral" to refer to any of umpteen possible Genus - it's what they were told, and unfortunately don't have any means (aka an old-fashioned "book") to ID it themselves.

[Stylaster]

In the wild a lot of them cup, sorta like a chalice cup, I have one in my tank doing that. That would be my guess

[returnofsid]

It actually goes back to Tyree, who in 1995 named the Tyree Blue Chalice, which was an Echinopora lamellosa. From there, I think it was all about marketing, trying to make people think they're ultimately rare...think "Holy Grail," which is thought to have been a "Chalice."

[seapug]

In the wild a lot of them cup, sorta like a chalice cup, I have one in my tank doing that. That would be my guess

+1. In their natural habitat, most do grow into a "chalice" shape. The tendency for hobbyists frag them into a billion crumb size pieces once they get large than 2 inches across keeps them from ever seeing what they actually grow into when left alone.

The reason why different Genera are all referred to as "chalice corals" is it is often extremely difficult to tell different genera & species apart in many wild colonies.