Orb-weaver spiders are members of the spider family Araneidae. They are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields, and forests. The English word "orb" can mean "circular", hence the English name of the group. Araneids have eight similar eyes, hairy or spiny legs, and no stridulating organs.
Elseya is a genus of large side-necked turtles, commonly known as Australian snapping turtles, in the family Chelidae. Species in the genus Elseya are found in river systems in northern and northeastern Australia and throughout the river systems of New Guinea. They are identified by the presence of alveolar ridges on the triturating surfaces of the mouth and the presence of a complex bridge strut.
The Mongalla gazelle is a species of gazelle found in the floodplain and savanna of South Sudan. It was first described by British zoologist Walter Rothschild in 1903. The taxonomic status of the Mongalla gazelle is widely disputed. While some authorities consider it a full-fledged monotypic species in the genus Eudorcas, it is often considered a subspecies of Thomson's gazelle, while other authorities regard it as subspecies of the red-fronted gazelle.
Biemna is a genus of sea sponges in the family Biemnidae.
Parisis is a genus of corals in the monotypic family Parisididae.
Holaxonia is a suborder of soft corals, a member of the phylum Cnidaria. Members of this suborder are sometimes known as gorgonians and include the sea blades, the sea fans, the sea rods and the sea whips. These soft corals are colonial, sessile organisms and are generally tree-like in structure. They do not have a hard skeleton composed of calcium carbonate but have a firm but pliable, central axial skeleton composed of a fibrous protein called gorgonin embedded in a tissue matrix, the coenenchyme. In some genera this is permeated with a calcareous substance in the form of fused spicules. Members of this suborder are characterized by having an unspiculated axis and often a soft, chambered central core. The polyps have eight-fold symmetry and in many species, especially in the families Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae, contain symbiotic photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae. These soft corals are popular in salt water aquaria.
Melithaea is a genus of octocorals in the family Melithaeidae. Members of the genus are commonly known as fan corals and are found in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. The type species is Melithaea ochracea.
Leptogorgia is a genus of soft coral in the family Gorgoniidae. The genus has a widespread distribution with members being found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Western Europe to South Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic coasts of North and South America, the Antilles and the Pacific coast of America. Species are found in both shallow and deep waters.
Plexauridae is a family of marine colonial octocorals in the phylum Cnidaria. Members of this family are found in shallow tropical and subtropical seas. Many species contain symbiotic photosynthetic protists called zooxanthellae.
Ellisella, commonly known as sea whip, is a genus of soft coral in the family Ellisellidae.
Bebryce is a genus of gorgonian-type octocorals in the family Plexauridae.
Tedania is a genus of sea sponges in the family Tedaniidae.
Kilima is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by M. Grasshoff in 1970. As of April 2019 it contains only three species.
Mahembea is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Mahembea hewitti. It was first created by M. Grasshoff in 1970 to separate this species from its original genus, Larinia. It has only been found in Central and East Africa.
Megaraneus is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Megaraneus gabonensis. It was first described by R. F. Lawrence in 1968, to contain the single species originally published under the name Epeira gabonensis.
Umbonata is a genus of Tanzanian orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Umbonata spinosissima. It was first described by M. Grasshoff in 1971 to contain the single species moved from Mangora.
Villagorgia is a genus of gorgonian-type octocorals in the family Plexauridae.
Anthogorgia is a genus of corals belonging to the family Acanthogorgiidae.
Euplexaura is a genus of cnidarians belonging to the family Plexauridae.
