Plexauridae Gray 1859

Family Plexauridae Gray, 1859 Diagnosis (after Kükenthal 1924; Bayer 1956, 1981; Sánchez & Cairns 2004; Williams and López-González 2005): Colonies display a variety of diverse forms, generally with thick branches arising laterally, dichotomously (in some, pinnately). Polyps completely retractil...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Horvath, Elizabeth A., Stone, Robert P.
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:unknown
Published: Zenodo 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5974911
http://treatment.plazi.org/id/26650562FFFAFFE6FF24FC276C25FAE0
Description
Summary:Family Plexauridae Gray, 1859 Diagnosis (after Kükenthal 1924; Bayer 1956, 1981; Sánchez & Cairns 2004; Williams and López-González 2005): Colonies display a variety of diverse forms, generally with thick branches arising laterally, dichotomously (in some, pinnately). Polyps completely retractile or form distinct calyces into which anthocodiae can be withdrawn. Axis with wide, chambered central chord; peripheral zone of loculated horny material, usually containing non-scleritic calcareous matter (common tendency toward heavy calcification of base in older colonies). Coenenchyme thick, perforated by system of longitudinal canals surrounding axis, delimiting outer coenenchymal layer from inner one (axial sheath), which differ in spiculation. Sclerites usually include some form of club; some with spindles only, oval bodies, rods or large quadriradiates. Published as part of Horvath, Elizabeth A. & Stone, Robert P., 2018, Another unusual new gorgonian (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Plexauridae) from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, pp. 112-120 in Zootaxa 4524 (1) on page 113, DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4524.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/2610371