Echinogorgia flabellum (Pallas, 1766)

Antipathes flabellum Pallas, 1766: 211–212; Esper 1791: 139, Antipathes Tab. 1 (Atlas).

Opinion: There is no evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomson & Simpson 1909: 212–213 (Andamans).

Literature analysis: Authors accounts of this species, originally named Antipathes flabellum, tend to attribute it to Esper (1791), while the original author was Pallas (1766). The species was transferred to Echinogorgia by Ridley (1884: 337–339) who gave a detailed description of his material, but the morphological details of this taxon are actually unknown. There cannot, therefore, be any proof that the un-illustrated description by Thomson & Simpson (1909) represents this species. Rao & Devi (2003) only listed the species.