CONTENTS
Introduction
The South Atlantic Bight
Methods
Octocoral Morphology
Glossary
Gorgonacean
Bauplan
Key to the Families of Octocorals in the South Atlantic Bight
Key to the Species of
Clavulariidae
Anthothelidae
Plexauridae
Gorgoniidae
Virgulariidae
Notes on the Species
Carijoa
riisei
Scleranthelia
rugosa
Telesto fruticulosa
Telesto nelleae
Telesto sanguinea
Bellonella rubistella
Pseudodrifa nigra
Nidalia occidentalis
Iciligorgia schrammi
Diodogorgia
nodulifera
Titanideum
frauenfeldii
Muricea pendula
Thesea nivea
Bebryce grandis
Bebryce parastellata
Scleracis guadalupensis
Placogorgia sp.
Leptogorgia hebes
Leptogorgia punicea
Leptogorgia
cardinalis
Leptogorgia virgulata
Leptogorgia setacea
Leptogorgia euryale
Ctenocella (Ellisella)
barbadensis
Renilla reniformis
Sclerobelemnon
theseus
Stylatula elegans
Virgularia presbytes
| Family Nidaliidae in the shallow (to 200m) South Atlantic Bight |
| Subclass
OCTOCORALLIA (=ALCYONARIA) Octocorals with an arborescent or clavate form and fleshy stalk without a consolidated axis or medullar region; gastric cavities of polyps extend to the base of the colony. In the Atlantic, this group is limited to a few shallow water species, with the majority of true “soft corals” inhabiting deeper (>200m) areas. Family Nidaliidae Nidaliids have monomorphic polyps and clavate colonies with a stiff or firm texture and prominent calyces at a terminal cluster. Refer to Verseveldt and Bayer (1988) for some revisions within this family. The family is represented by only one species in the SAB, Nidalia occidentalis Gray, 1835. |
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