Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) from Brazilian reefs Author Castro, C. B. Author Medeiros, M. S. Author Loiola, L. L. text Journal of Natural History 2010 2010-03-15 44 13 - 14 763 827 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930903441160 journal article 10.1080/00222930903441160 1464-5262 5207416 Plexaurella regia Castro, 1989 ( Figures 1 , 12D,D′ , 15) Plexaurella regia Castro, 1989: 37–43 , figs. 2,3; Hetzel and Castro 1994: 92 (photos only); Medeiros and Castro 1999: 12 . Diagnosis Lateral branching colonies ( Figure 12D ). Branches thick ( 18–24 mm near distal ends) ( Figure 12D′ ). Coenenchymal mounds absent. Butterflies restricted to the outer layer of coenenchyme. Inner coenenchyme exclusively with tuberculated spindles, up to 0.75 mm long ( Figure 15 ) (adapted from Castro 1989: 601 , as a formal diagnosis is lacking). Description For a complete description see Castro (1989: 37–43 , figs. 2,3). Material Brazil : Bahia (MNRJ 00434, 00440, 01176, 02748, 02751, 04580, 04581, 04582, 04583; USNM 73735, 73399; UFPb 279, 290). Type depository Museu Nacional , Rio de Janeiro ( MNRJ 00440 ) ( Castro 1989 ) . Type locality Abrolhos Reefs, Bahia State , Brazil ( Castro 1989 ) . Geographic distribution Known only from the vicinity of the Abrolhos Reefs, Brazil ( Figure 1 ). Remarks The last decade has seen a surge of research on Brazilian reefs (see Castro and Pires 2001 ). However, P. regia is still only recorded from southern Bahia , especially from the Abrolhos Bank. It is a shallow-water, large and conspicuous species, easy to identify in the field. It seems to be restricted to offshore (> 5 km from the coast) reefs of southern Bahia , approximately from Porto Seguro to the Abrolhos Bank. Figure 15. Sclerites of Plexaurella regia Castro, 1989 (MNRJ 00440): (A) anthocodia; (B) outer layer of coenenchyme; (C) middle layer of coenenchyme; (D) axial sheath. Family GORGONIIDAE Lamouroux, 1812