73 
WILLIAMS & CHEN: GORGONIANS AND PENNATULACEANS 
OF THE VERDE ISLAND PASSAGE 
11b. Branching is open, dichotomous to lateral. Subergorgia, Figs. 5A, B, 9 
12a. Polyps non-retraetile, fonning hemispherical to cylindrical projections when contracted. Scle- 
rites mostly spindles, often curved, bent, or hockeystick-shaped, arranged en chevron along 
polyp walls.13 
12b. Polyps fully retractile into permanent calyces or form small mounds or short lobes, or retract 
flush with branch surfaces. Polyp wall sclerites not arranged en chevron.14 
13a. Polyps tall cylindrical, perpendicular to branches. Sclerites always colorless. 
. Acanthogorgia, Figs. 13, 14 
13b. Polyps low, rounded, hemi-spherical to moundlike. Selerites often colored. 
. Muncella, Figs. 13, 15 
14a. Calyx and surface sclerites are rooted leaves (also called leaf-scales) with broad teiminal 
blades. Menella, Figs. 23, 24, 25B 
14b. Rooted leaf (leaf scales) absent.15 
15a. Thornscales present in calyx and/or surface.16 
15b. Thornscales absent altogether.19 
16a. Thornscales with rootlike or finely tubereated bases.17 
16b. Thornseales with deltoid, wing-like extensions on the bases, which are smooth or sparsely 
tubereated. Villogorgia, Figs. 28, 29 
17a. Thornscales with a single long, central spine emanating from a broad rootlike base. 
. Echinomuricea, Figs. 18A, 20 
17b. Thornscales with more than one terminal spine.18 
18a. Thornscales somewhat thick with broad termmal spines, present in both calyx and colonial 
surface. Echinogorgia, Figs. 18B, 19 
18b. Thornscales are variable in shape, surface sclerites include somewhat robust globular forms 
that are differentiated between finely tuberculated basal portions, and cobblestone-like or var¬ 
iously thorny upper portions. Paraplexaura, Figs. 25A, 26, 27 
19a. Surface sclerites include conspicuous tuberculate spheroids, often ovoid to subspherieal in 
shape. Euplexaura, Figs. 21, 22 
19b. Surface sclerites do not include tuberculate spheroids.20 
20a. Sclerites are spindles, many long and narrow with pointed ends .. . Astrogorgia, Figs. 16, 17 
20b. Sclerites are clubs, double heads, or radiates.21 
21a. Colonial growth form usually abundantly branched. Contracted polyps retract flush with 
branch surfaces or less often appear as bumps or low mounds. Surface sclerites are clubs, sub¬ 
surface sclerites are capstans and/or partly tubereated spindles. Sclerites always eolorless. 
Colony color grey, tan, or brown.22 
21b. Colonial growth form variable — copiously branched to sparsely branched or filiform and 
whiplike. Contracted polyps form mounds or short lobe-like projeetions. Surfaee sclerites are 
double heads or clubs, subsurface sclerites are capstans or waisted spindles, Sclerites often col¬ 
ored. Colony color red, orange, yellow, pink, or white.23 
22a. Axis dark brown to black, composed mostly of concentric layers of proteinaceous material 
(gorgonin), with a narrow hollow core. Rumphella, Figs. 30A, 31A 
22b. Axis segmented; elongated, white calcareous internodes with ring-like, dark, proteinaceous 
nodes; solid, without hollow core.Figs. 30B, C, 3 IB 
23a. Surface sclerites include clubs.24 
23b. Surface sclerites are double heads and waisted spindles.25 
24a. Unbranched and whiplike.. "^Junceella, Figs. 34, 35C 
24b. Branching dichotomous. Dichotella, Figs. 32B, 35D 
