| Paralcyoniidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Maasella edwardsi | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Anthozoa |
| Order: | Alcyonacea |
| Suborder: | Alcyoniina |
| Family: | Paralcyoniidae Gray, 1869 [1] |
| Genera | |
Paralcyoniidae is a family of soft corals in the phylum Cnidaria. [2]
The World Register of Marine Species includes the following genera in this family : [1]
Gorgonia is a genus of soft corals, sea fans in the family Gorgoniidae.
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.
Xeniidae is a family of soft coral in the order Alcyonacea.
Alcyoniidae is a family of leathery or soft corals in the phylum Cnidaria.
Melithaeidae is a family of corals in the suborder Scleraxonia. Members of the family are commonly known as sea fans and are found on reefs in the tropical regions of the Indo-Pacific.
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.
Primnoidae is a family of soft corals.
Stolonifera is a suborder of soft corals in the order Alcyonacea. Members of this taxon are characterised by having separate polyps budding off an encrusting horizontal, branching stolon. The skeletons include spicules or consists of a horny external cuticle. These soft corals are found in shallow tropical and temperate seas.
Nidaliidae is a family of soft corals in the phylum Cnidaria. Some members of this family are similar in appearance to gorgonians. They are difficult to keep in the reef aquarium because they do not contain symbiotic zooxanthellae and therefore need to be fed on zooplankton. Others, in the genera Agaricoidea, Nidalla and Pieterfaurea, more resemble members of the family Nephtheidae and these are somewhat easier to keep in the aquarium.
Taiaroa is a genus of deep-water, solitary marine octocorals in the family Taiaroidae. Taiaroa is monotypic in the family Taiaroidae and contains a single species, Taiaroa tauhou. The species was first described by the marine zoologists Frederick M. Bayer and Katherine Margaret Muzik in 1976. The scientific name derives from "Taiaroa", the submarine canyon off New Zealand in which the first specimens were found and "tauhou", the Maori word for "strange".
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.
Cornulariidae is a family of soft corals in the suborder Stolonifera.
Paraminabea aldersladei is a species of soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae. It is found in the central Indo-Pacific. This coral looks like an upside down carrot growing out of the substrate. Its striking white polyps are extended only at night to feed.
Maasella is a genus of soft coral in the family Paralcyoniidae. It is monotypic, with only a single species, Maasella edwardsi. Usually of greenish brown or golden brown color, each polyp has eight pinnate tentacles. This soft coral is found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, at depths of between 2 and 50 metres.
Oulophyllia is a genus of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. Members of this genus are native to the tropical western and central Indo-Pacific region.
Asterospicularia is a genus of soft corals in the family Xeniidae.
Ixion is a genus of soft corals in the family Xeniidae. It is monotypic with a single species, Ixion dinesenae.
Sympodium is a genus of soft corals in the family Xeniidae.
Pennatula is a genus of sea pens in the family Pennatulidae. The genus contains several bioluminescent species, including Pennatula rubra, Pennatula phosphorea, and Pennatula aculeata.
 | This Octocorallia-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |