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Holaxonia

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Holaxonia
Pinnigorgia sp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Subphylum: Anthozoa
Class: Octocorallia
Order: Alcyonacea
Suborder: Holaxonia
Studer, 1887
Families

See text

Paramuricea sp.
Eunicea sp.

Holaxonia (English name: holaxonians[1]) is a former Octocorallian suborder of the order Gorgonacea (English names: gorgonians or sea fans), or alternatively of the broadly conceived order Alcyonacea. Before 1981/1999, Holaxonia usually also included the taxon Calcaxonia (informal name: restricted Holaxonia).[2][3][4][5]

Since a 2022 revision of the Octocorallia, the content of the former Holaxania has been included in the new order Malacalcyonacea, within which it does not form a monophyletic group (clade) and has no name. The two Holaxonian genera Dendrobrachia a Ideogorgia are an exception in that they have been included not in the order Malacalcyonacea, but in the order Scleralcyonacea.[6]

Vernacular names of certain members of Holaxonia include: sea fan, sea whip, sea rod, and sea blade.

Characteristics

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Members of Holaxonia are soft corals. They are colonial, sessile organisms and are generally tree-like in structure. They do not have a hard skeleton composed of calcium carbonate but have a firm but pliable, central axial skeleton composed of a fibrous protein called gorgonin embedded in a tissue matrix, the coenenchyme. In some genera this is permeated with a calcareous substance in the form of fused spicules. Members of Holaxonia are characterized by having an unspiculated axis and often a soft, chambered central core.[7] The polyps have eight-fold symmetry and in many species, especially in the families Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae, contain symbiotic photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae. These soft corals are popular in salt water aquaria.[8][9]

Families and genera

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In 2018, the World Register of Marine Species listed the following families and genera in Holaxonia:[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Orejas, Covadonga; Jiménez, Carlos (2019-07-10). Mediterranean Cold-Water Corals: Past, Present and Future: Understanding the Deep-Sea Realms of Coral. Springer. p. 142. ISBN 978-3-319-91608-8. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  2. ^ Daly, Marymegan & Brugler, Mercer & Cartwright, Paulyn & Collins, Allen & Dawson, Michael & Fautin, Daphne & France, Scott & McFadden, Catherine & OPRESKO, DENNIS & Rodriguez, Estefania & Romano, Sandra & Stake, Joel. (2007/2006). The Phylum Cnidaria: A Review Of Phylogenetic Patterns And Diversity 300 Years After Linnaeus *. Zootaxa. 1668. 10.5281/zenodo.180149.
  3. ^ Lesser, Michael (2011-11-16). Advances in Marine Biology. Academic Press. p. 43-46. ISBN 978-0-12-385529-9. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  4. ^ GOFFREDO, Stefano; DUBINSKY, Zvy. The Cnidaria, Past, Present and Future (The world of Medusa and her sisters). [s.l.] : Springer, 2016. ISBN 978-3-319-31305-4. pp. 109-111
  5. ^ BAYER, F. M. Key to the genera of Octocorallia exclusive of Pennatulacea (Coelenterata: Anthozoa), with diganoses of new taxa. PROC. BIOL. SOC. WASH. 94(3), 1981, pp. 902-947
  6. ^ McFadden, Catherine S.; Ofwegen, Leen P. van; Quattrini, Andrea M. (14 October 2022). "Revisionary systematics of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) guided by phylogenomics". Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists. 1 (3). doi:10.18061/bssb.v1i3.8735. ISSN 2768-0819.
  7. ^ Suborder Holaxonia Guide to the Shallow Water (0-200 m) Octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  8. ^ Gorgonians (Holaxonia) Saltcorner. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  9. ^ Gorgonians Animal-World. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  10. ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Holaxonia". marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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