Rumphella torta ( Klunzinger, 1877 )

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 : 84

Rumphella torta ( Klunzinger, 1877)

Plexaura torta Klunzinger, 1877: 52 , pl. 3, fig. 10 (Red Sea).

Rumphella torta Grasshoff 2000: 56 (Red Sea).

Opinion: It is not possible to determine if this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Kumar et al. 2014a: 58, pl. 26, fig. A–E (Andaman and Nicobar Islands); Fernando et al. 2017: 222, pl. 106, fig. A–E (Andaman and Nicobar Islands).

Literature analysis: This species, originally named Plexaura torta , forms large bushy colonies with long drooping end branches. The descriptions of an Indian specimen given by Kumar et al. (2014a) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical but it is difficult to tell whether their material is the same as this taxon because, although their colony looks like this species, the authors only figure nine sclerites (two of which are identical) and most of sclerite forms that are well illustrated by Grasshoff (2000) are not included in their figure. This species has only been reported from the Red Sea and East Africa.

Kumar et al. (2015, 2018) lists the species and presents one of the colony images from the 2014 and 2017 papers above. Kumar et al. (2019b) lists the species with a colony image, while Kumar et al. (2018a) just lists the species.