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 .