CONTENTS

Introduction
The South Atlantic Bight
Methods
Octocoral Morphology
Glossary
Gorgonacean Bauplan

List of Species

Occurence Table

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

References Cited

Suggested Reading/Viewing

Acknowledgements
Subclass OCTOCORALLIA (=ALCYONARIA)
Order Alcyonacea
Suborder Holaxonia

Octocorals with unspiculated axis and often a soft, chambered central core.
When using sclerites alone, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two families of Holaxonia represented in the SAB. The SAB Plexauridae have a much more diverse assemblage of sclerite morphology as a whole than the SAB Gorgoniidae, but there are some genera (i.e. Thesea) that contain spindles that initially resemble those in the Gorgoniidae. Spindle size and degree of loculation surrounding the axis must also be considered while attempting to place holaxonian specimens in the correct family.

Family Plexauridae

Members of the families Paramuriceidae and Muriceidae were reclassified in Bayer 1981 to be included in the Plexauridae. Members of this family occurring in the SAB have an unspiculated, horny axis and a hollow, axial core that is surrounded by a loculated cortex. Generally the calyces have a strong armature of sclerites.

Key to the species of Plexauridae in the shallow (to 200m) South Atlantic Bight
Couplet 1

1a. – Colonies with prominent cylindrical calyces, distinctly separated, usually on one or two sides of branch and generally not crowded ..................................................................2

Scleracis guadalupensisBebryce parastellata
left: Scleracis guadalupensis; right: Bebryce parastellata

 

1b. – Colonies with spiny, shelf-like or dome-like calyces, not cylindrical, scattered entirely around branches and crowded ....................................3

Thesea niveaMuricea pendula
left: Thesea nivea; right: Muricea pendula

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