Guide to the Shallow Water (0-200 m) Octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight.
S. T. DeVictor & S. L. Morton, 2007

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 species of Plexauridae in the shallow (to 200m) South Atlantic Bight
Couplet 5

Back to Plexauridae Couplet 1
Back to Alcyonacea

Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources