Astropecten is a genus of sea stars of the family Astropectinidae.
Goniasteridae constitute the largest family of sea stars, included in the order Valvatida. They are mostly deep-dwelling species, but the family also include several colorful shallow tropical species.
Cyclostrema is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Liotiidae.
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.
Gorgoniidae is a family of soft corals, a member of the subclass Octocorallia in the phylum Cnidaria. Nearly all the genera and species are native to the east and west coasts of America.
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.
Dendronephthya is a genus of soft corals in the family Nephtheidae. There are over 250 described species in this genus. They are sometimes kept in aquariums, but are notoriously difficult to keep, requiring a near constant supply of small foods such as phytoplankton.
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.
Antipathes is a genus of coral in the order Antipatharia, composed of black coral. Distinct features vary greatly within this genus: it contains symmetrically aligned as well as irregularly shaped corals, a range of different colors, and colonies that can be either sparsely branched or closely packed. polyps for these corals have six tentacles that are each lined with stinging cells. Unlike their reef-building cousins, these coral lack photosynthesizing algae and are not restricted to the lighter surface regions. They prefer to live in deeper waters near currents so they can catch and eat passing zooplankton.
Alcyonium is a genus of soft corals in the family Alcyoniidae.
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.
Siphonogorgia is a genus of soft corals in the family Nidaliidae. Like other members of this family, these corals do not contain symbiotic zooxanthellae.
Ellisella, commonly known as sea whip, is a genus of soft coral in the family Ellisellidae.
Swiftia is a genus of gorgonian-type octocorals in the family Plexauridae.
Bebryce is a genus of gorgonian-type octocorals in the family Plexauridae.
Clavularia is a genus of corals in the family Clavulariidae. They are often referred by the common names star polyps or clove polyps.
Chrysogorgia is a genus of soft corals in the family Chrysogorgiidae.
Villagorgia is a genus of gorgonian-type octocorals in the family Plexauridae.
Astrogorgia is a genus of corals belonging to the family Plexauridae.
Acanthogorgiidae is a family of cnidarians belonging to the order Alcyonacea.
