Elasmogorgia flexilis Hickson, 1905

Ramvilas, Ghosh, Alderslade, Philip & Ranjeet, Kutty, 2023, 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, Zootaxa 5236 (1), pp. 1-124 : 59

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5236.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:796FF9F5-E71F-4C69-92CC-CF4D6752BD77
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7639509
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0388B641-7B2C-FF96-FF56-FB5CFAEAF941
treatment provided by	Plazi (2023-02-08 15:54:05, last updated 2024-11-28 18:43:59)
scientific name	Elasmogorgia flexilis Hickson, 1905
status

Treatment

Elasmogorgia flexilis Hickson, 1905 View in CoL

Elasmogorgia flexilis Hickson, 1905: 814–815 View in CoL , fig. 5, 6 &7 (Suvadiva).

Opinion: This species does not occur in the region and its true identity is unknown.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomson & Simpson 1909: 240 (Andamans)

Literature analysis: Matsumoto & van Ofwegen (2016) who reviewed the genus Elasmogorgia were of the opinion that this species could be a Euplexaura but it’s identity will remain unknown until the holotype is redescribed. Thomson & Simpson (1909) did not provide any illustrations and they recorded sclerite forms not mentioned by Hickson, which indicate they did not have the same species. Rao & Devi (2003) just listed the species.

References

Hickson, M. A. (1905) The Alcyonaria of the Maldives. Part I. The Genera Xenia, Telesto, Spongodes, Nephthya, Paraspongodes, Chironephthya, Siphonogorgia, Solenocaulon, and Melitodes. In: Gardiner, J. S. (Eds.), The Fauna and Geography of the Maldive and Laccadive Archipelagoes. Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 473 - 502 + xxvi - xxvii.

Matsumoto, A. K. & van Ofwegen, L. P. (2016) Species of Elasmogorgia and Euplexaura (Cnidaria, Octocorallia) from Japan with a discussion about the genus Filigella. ZooKeys, 589, 1 - 21. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / zookeys. 589.8361

Rao, D. V. & Devi, K. (2003) Studies on the soft corals (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) of Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Occasional paper, 206, 1 - 99.

Thomson, J. A. & Simpson, J. J. (1909) An account of the alcyonarians collected by the Royal Indian Marine Survey Ship Investigator in the Indian Ocean. The Alcyonarians of the Littoral Area. The Indian Museum, Calcutta, 319 + xviii pp.