| Clavulariidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Clavularia crassa with eggs | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Anthozoa |
| Order: | Alcyonacea |
| Suborder: | Stolonifera |
| Family: | Clavulariidae Hickson, 1894 [1] |
| Genera | |
Clavulariidae is a family of soft corals in the suborder Stolonifera. Colonies in this family consist of separate retractable polyps growing from a horizontal, encrusting stolon or basal membrane. The tissues are stiffened by sclerites.
The World Register of Marine Species includes the following genera in the family: [1]
Alcyonacea, or soft corals, are an order of corals. In addition to the fleshy soft corals, the order Alcyonacea now contains all species previously known as "gorgonian corals", that produce a more or less hard skeleton, though quite different from "true" corals (Scleractinia). These can be found in suborders Holaxonia, Scleraxonia, and Stolonifera. They are sessile colonial cnidarians that are found throughout the oceans of the world, especially in the deep sea, polar waters, tropics and subtropics. Common names for subsets of this order are sea fans and sea whips; others are similar to the sea pens of related order Pennatulacea. Individual tiny polyps form colonies that are normally erect, flattened, branching, and reminiscent of a fan. Others may be whiplike, bushy, or even encrusting. A colony can be several feet high and across, but only a few inches thick. They may be brightly coloured, often purple, red, or yellow. Photosynthetic gorgonians can be successfully kept in captive aquaria.
Bamboo coral, family Isididae, is a family of mostly deep-sea coral of the phylum Cnidaria. It is a commonly recognized inhabitant of the deep sea, due to the clearly articulated skeletons of the species. Deep water coral species such as this are especially affected by the practice of bottom trawling. These organisms may be an important environmental indicator in the study of long term climate change, as some specimens of bamboo coral have been discovered that are 4,000 years old.
Lepidisis is a genus of deep-sea bamboo coral in the family Isididae. It contains the following species:
Keratoisis is a genus of deep-sea bamboo coral in the family Isididae, containing the following species:
Xeniidae is a family of soft coral in the order Alcyonacea.
Alcyoniidae is a family of leathery or soft corals in the phylum Cnidaria.
Scleraxonia is a suborder of corals, a member of the phylum Cnidaria.
Parisis is a genus of corals in the monotypic family Parisididae.
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.
Nephtheidae is a family of soft corals in the phylum Cnidaria. Members of this family are known as carnation corals, tree corals or colt soft corals. They are very attractive and show a wide range of rich and pastel colours including reds, pinks, yellows and purples. They are popular with reef aquarium hobbyists.
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.
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.
Sinularia is a genus of soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae. They are commonly known as leather corals and currently have 166 described species in the genus.
Clavularia is a genus of corals in the family Clavulariidae. They are often referred by the common names star polyps or clove polyps.
Litophyton is a genus of soft corals in the family Nephtheidae.
Chrysogorgia is a genus of soft corals in the family Chrysogorgiidae.
Parasphaerasclera is a genus of soft coral. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Parasphaerascleridae.
Gorgonia capensis, is a species of sea fan described by Sydney John Hickson in 1900. Gorgonia capensis is part of the genus Gorgonia and the family Gorgoniidae.
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