Ellisella bayeri 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 : 86

Ellisella bayeri Fernando, 2011 (species status uncertain)

Ellisella bayeri Fernando, 2011: 110 , pl. 68, fig. 1–1d (Kanyakumari); Fernando et al. 2017: 228, pl. 105, fig. 1–1d (Kanyakumari).

? Ellisella grasshoffi Fernando, 2011: 111–112 , pl. 70, fig. 1–1e (Thiruchendur).

Opinion: This species does occur in the region.

Justification:

Literature analysis: The publications of Fernando (2011) and Fernando et al. (2017) both present identical accounts, but without more detailed descriptions and larger illustrations of the sclerites it would be difficult to recognise their species, and without a revision of the genus it would probably be impossible to assess its validity as a new species. The authors state, “The colony morphology and arrangements of the sclerites and their structure and dimension and the colour of the colony are distinct from other species of Ellisella reported so far”, which is not quite accurate. The colony shape, for example, is similar to their specimens identified as E. ceylonensis , to E. andamanensis Simpson , and to E. nuctenea and E acacesia Grasshoff, 1999 . The sclerite arrangement presumably refers to their “spindles concentrate around the polyps”, which is actually characteristic of the genus. The spindles are quite long, but those, for example, in E. maculate Studer or E. quadriliniata (Simpson) are as long or longer. The species bears a significant resemblance to E. grasshoffi Fernando, 2011 .