Alcyonacea, is an order of corals that belongs to the octocorallia subclass, of the anthozoa class . Name given to the Alcyonium type genus are colonial sessile cnidarians that inhabit the waters of the whole world, but with special diversity in the tropical and subtropical zones. They have a structure very similar to that of corals. They do not produce calcium carbonate skeletons, so they do not contribute to the construction of the reefs, although they inhabit them.
Summary
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- 1 Description
- 2 Suborders and families
- 1 Suborder alcyoniina
- 2 Calcaxonia suborder
- 3 Suborder holaxonia
- 4 Protoalcyonaria suborder
- 5 Suborder scleraxonia
- 6 Suborder stolonifera
- 7 Not assigned
- 3 Habitat and distribution
- 4 Sources
Description
The so-called soft corals and leather or skin corals, mostly fleshy in appearance, have microscopic calcite crystals in their tissues called spicules , whose function is to give consistency to the animal’s tissue, in the absence of a skeleton. The shape and distribution of the spicules are the main characteristics used in the identification of genera and species of octocorals . In addition to soft corals, this order includes gorgonians , which replace the skeleton of hard corals, order Scleractinia , by semi-rigid structures composed of calcite and / or a substance they generate called gorgonin.
It includes gorgonians, which replace the skeleton of hard corals, order Scleractinia, by semi-rigid structures composed of calcite and / or a substance they generate called gorgonin.
Suborders and families
Currently this order includes:
Alcyoniina suborder
- Family Alcyoniidae
- Aquaumbridae family
- Family Nephtheidae
- Family Nidaliidae
- Family Paralcyoniidae
- Family Xeniidae
Calcaxonia suborder
- Family Chrysogorgiidae
- Family Dendrobrachiidae
- Family Ellisellidae
- Family Ifalukellidae
- Family Isididae
- Family Primnoidae
Holaxonia suborder
- Family Acanthogorgiidae
- Family Gorgoniidae
- Family Keroeididae
- Family Plexauridae
Protoalcyonaria suborder
- Family Taiaroidae
Scleraxonia suborder
- Family Anthothelidae
- Family Briareidae
- Family Coralliidae
- Family Melithaeidae
- Family Paragorgiidae
- Family Parisididae
- Family Subergorgiidae
Suborder stolonifera
- Family Acrossotidae
- Family Arulidae
- Family Clavulariidae
- Family Coelogorgiidae
- Family Cornulariidae
- Family Pseudogorgiidae
- Family Tubiporidae
Not assigned
- Family Acanthoaxiidae
- Family Haimeidae
- Family Parasphaerascleridae
- Family Viguieriotidae
Habitat and distribution
They are colonial sessile cnidarians that inhabit waters around the world, but with special diversity in tropical and subtropical areas.