Solenocaulon ramosa Hickson, 1903

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 : 21

Solenocaulon ramosa Hickson, 1903

Solenocaulon ramosa Hickson, 1903: 498–499 , fig. 14–17 ( Maldives, 71m); Harrison 1908: 190 (Bay of Bengal); Harrison 1909: 39, pl. 3, pl. 7 (Bay of Bengal—same material); Stiasny 1937: 49–51, fig. O (Hickson’s type).

Opinion: This species does occur in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomson & Simpson 1909: 159, 162–163 (Bay of Bengal).

Literature analysis: This species was described by Hickson (1903) from the Maldives with images only of the distinctive colony form. Stiasny’s (1937) publication featured sclerite drawings of dubious quality from Hickson’s type. Harrison (1908) made a very brief report but she repeated it in 1909 with colony and sclerite figures, the latter being inadequate. Thomson & Simpson (1909) reported on a specimen from the Bay of Bengal and provided a comparative table of all species known to that date, but no illustrations of this species were provided.