Menella idinthakaraiensis Fernando, 2011

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 : 62

Menella idinthakaraiensis Fernando, 2011 (species status uncertain)

Menella idinthakaraiensis Fernando, 2011: 66 , pl. 41, fig. 1–1d (Idinthakarai); Fernando et al. 2017: 135, pl. 62, fig. 1–1d (Idinthakarai).

Opinion: This species does occur in the region but its true identity is unknown.

Justification:

Literature analysis: The descriptions of the Indian material by Fernando (2011) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical, but without a detailed description and larger images of the sclerites it is difficult to be certain of the genus this material belongs in. In Menella the leafscales generally cover the surface of the coenenchyme, which does not seem to be the case here. The “leafy portion” of the leafscales is described as generally being “longitudinally split into many sharp blades” and the coenenchyme contains spindles up to 0.64 mm long. These characters point more towards Paraplexaura or Echinogorgia .