Menella praelonga ( Ridley, 1884 )

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 : 64

Menella praelonga ( Ridley, 1884)

Plexaura praelonga Ridley, 1884: 339–340 , pl. 36, fig. F; pl. 38, fig. g, g 1 (Port Curtis).

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

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomson & Henderson 1905: 304 (Gulf of Mannar, Sri Lanka); Thomson & Simpson 1909: 262–263 (Andamans); Thomas & George 1986: 99–101 (Gulf of Mannar), fig. 1d, 1–4; Thomas et al. 1995: 136, fig. 2b, 1–3 (NE coast).

Literature analysis:

In the Indian reports this species is described as being a Plexauroides . The blade of the leafscales of the species is rarely divided but characteristically has irregularly arranged elongate ridges that radiate from the region where the blade arises from the complexly branched root. This feature is missing from all of the Indian records. Thomas & George (1987), Rao & Devi (2003) and Varghese et al. (2007) just list the species.