The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice Author Ramvilas, Ghosh 0000-0001-5028-9058 ramvilas@kufos.ac.in Author Alderslade, Philip 0000-0001-5801-4681 phil.alderslade@csiro.au Author Ranjeet, Kutty 0000-0001-5028-9058 ramvilas@kufos.ac.in text Zootaxa 2023 2023-02-07 5236 1 1 124 journal article 54753 10.11646/zootaxa.5236.1.1 64c50077-1b03-44c5-9af9-0dac9180d62d 1175-5326 7639327 796FF9F5-E71F-4C69-92CC-CF4D6752BD77 Melithaea ornata ( Thomson & Simpson, 1909 ) Melitodes ornata Thomson & Simpson, 1909: 173–174 , pl. 5, figs. 3, 9; pl. 9, fig. 11 (Andaman Sea). Opinion: This species does occur in the region. Justification: Literature analysis: This species was originally described as a species of Melitodes , which is a synonym of Melithaea . Three of the sclerites figured by Thomson and Simpson (1909) are in the form of large, complex, unilaterally foliate spheroids, which caused Hickson (1937) to suggest the species was not a Melitodes but close Mopsella rubeola ( Wright & Studer, 1889 ) , although the sclerites look more like what he had figured for Wrightella . The species has never been properly described and would be very difficult to recognise. Kumar et al . (2019) just listed the species, as did Rao & Devi (2003) : the latter still under the old original genus Melitodes .