A review of the genus Iridogorgia (Octocorallia: Chrysogorgiidae) and its relatives, chiefly from the North Atlantic Ocean

• Published in: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
• Main Author: Watling, Les
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2007
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Pacific; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002531540705535x; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S002531540705535X

Exploration of the New England and Corner Rise Seamounts produced four new species of chrysogorgiid octocorals with the spiral iridogorgiid growth form. Three species are described as new in the genus Iridogorgia and one is described in the new genus Rhodaniridogorgia . Both genera have representatives in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Iridogorgia magnispiralis sp. nov., is one of the largest octocorals encountered in the deep sea and seems to be widespread in the Atlantic.