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
Euplexaura thomsoni
Kükenthal, 1924
Plexaura antipathes var. flexuosa
Thomson & Henderson, 1905: 305
(Gulf of Mannar,
Sri Lanka
).
Euplexaura thomsoni
nom. nov.
Kükenthal, 1924: 99
.
Opinion: This species does occur in the region but its true identity is unknown.
Justification:
These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable
:
Fernando 2011: 39–40
, pl. 17, fig. 1–1e (Uvari);
Fernando
et al
. 2017: 80
, pl. 34, fig. 1–1e (Uvari).
Literature analysis
:
This species was originally described from
Sri Lanka
as
Plexaura antipathes var. flexuosa
.
Kükenthal (1924)
gave the taxon a new name and suggested it belonged in the genus
Euplexaura
even though the sclerites had been described as “branched rod-like needles and small spherical bodies”. Because
Thomson & Henderson (1905)
gave no illustrations the species is unrecognisable. The girdled sclerites figured by
Fernando (2011)
and
Fernando
et al
. (2017)
indicate their samples may represent a species of
Leptogorgia
.