Unomia, Benayahu & Van Ofwegen & Ruiz Allais & Mcfadden, 2021

Benayahu, Yehuda, Van Ofwegen, Leen P., Ruiz Allais, J. P. & Mcfadden, Catherine S., 2021, Revisiting the type of Cespitularia stolonifera Gohar, 1938 leads to the description of a new genus and a species of the family Xeniidae (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea), Zootaxa 4964 (2), pp. 330-344 : 332

Unomia gen. n.

Type species Cespitularia stolonifera Gohar, 1938: 483-485 , plate I, here designated.

Diagnosis. Colonies soft with a stalk, commonly divided into branches. Polyps monomorphic and non-retractile, mostly clustering on a polyp-bearing region (polypary). Noticeably, individual polyps are also found on the stalk, branches or the membranous base of the colonies thus indicating the diffuse nature of the distribution of the more proximal polyps. Sclerites present as ellipsoid platelets, abundant in all parts of the colony. They reach up to 0.025 mm in maximal diameter, and are composed of densely placed calcite rods whose tips are distinct on the surface of the platelets, commonly providing them with a granular appearance. The rods are mostly uniform in width (0.001 - 0.002 mm). During dehydration for SEM purposes some sclerites may fracture. Zooxanthellate.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Latin: unum, which refers to solitary. Here it denotes the individual polyps randomly found on the divided stalk or on branches below the polypary level. Gender: feminine.