Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online athttps://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 page(s): 803 [details] Available for editors [request]
Note The genus name Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 has...
Type species The genus name Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 has been used by various authors for a wide range of sessile invertebrates (a.o. sponges, ascidians and algae). The name is fixed as an Octocoral genus name by subsequent designation of Alcyonium digitatum Linnaeus, 1758 as type species by Milne Edwards & Haime, 1850 (p. lxxvii). [details]
WoRMS (2025). Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=125284 on 2025-07-17
original descriptionLinnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online athttps://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 page(s): 803 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description(ofParerythropodium Kükenthal, 1916)Kükenthal, W. (1916). Die Gorgonarien Westindiens. Kap. 1, Die Scleraxonier; Kap. 2, Über den Venusfächer; Kap. 3, Die Gattung Xiphigorgia. <em>Zoologische Jahrbucher.</em> Suppl. 11: 443-504, plate 23., available online athttps://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14178786 page(s): 461-464 [details]
basis of recordvan Ofwegen, L.; Grasshoff, M.; van der Land, J. (2001). Octocorallia (excl. Pennatulacea), <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 104-105 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Taxonomy
taxonomy sourceHartmeyer, R. (1916). Zur Deutung einiger Alcyonium-Arten. <em>Sitzungsberichte der Gesellsch. naturf. Freunde, Berlin.</em> 8: 245-259.[details]
taxonomy sourceLüttschwager, H. (1915). Beitrage zu einer Revision der Familie Alcyoniidae. <em>Archiv für Naturgeschichte, Abteilung A.</em> 80(10): 1-42., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12955834 page(s): 16-27 [details]
Other
additional sourceVerseveldt, J. (1971). Octocorallia from North-Western Madagascar (Part II). <em>Zoologische Verhandelingen.</em> 1-73, plates 1-15.[details]
additional sourceMcFadden, C.S.; van Ofwegen, L.P. (2013). Molecular phylogenetic evidence supports a new family of octocorals and a new genus of Alcyoniidae (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea). <em>Zookeys.</em> 346: 59-83.[details]
additional sourcevan Ofwegen, L.P.; Häussermann, V.; Försterra, G. (2006). A new genus of soft coral (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Clavulariidae) from Chile. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 1219, 47-57. page(s): 47 [details]
additional sourceWilliams, G.C. (2000). Two new genera of soft corals (Anthozoa: Alcyoniidae) from South Africa, with a discussion of diversity and endemism in the Southern African octocorallian fauna. <em>Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences.</em> 52(6): 65-75. page(s): 71 [details]
additional sourceVerseveldt, J.; Bayer, F. M. (1988). Revision of the genera Bellonella, Eleutherobia, Nidalia and Nidaliopsis (Octocorallia, Alcyoniidae and Nidalliidae), with descriptions of two new genera. <em>Zoologische Verhandelingen.</em> 245:1-131., available online athttp://repository.naturalis.nl/document/149141 page(s): 3, 8, 10, 11 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceMcFadden, C.S.; van Ofwegen, L.P. (2017). Revisionary systematics of the endemic soft coral fauna (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Alcyoniina) of the Agulhas Bioregion, South Africa. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 4363(4): 451-488., available online athttps://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4363.4.1 page(s): 460 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceBayer, F.M. (1961). The shallow-water Octocorallia of the West Indian region. A manual for marine biologists. <em>Studies on the Fauna of Curacao and Other Caribbean Islands.</em> 12:1-373, pls. 1-23., available online athttps://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/506065 page(s): 51 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceMcFadden, C. S.; Hochberg, F. (2003). Biology and taxonomy of encrusting alcyoniid soft corals in the northeastern Pacific Ocean with descriptions of two new genera (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Octocorallia). <em>Invertebrate Biology.</em> 122(2): 93-113., available online athttps://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7410.2003.tb00076.x page(s): 109, 111 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceGrasshoff, M.; Alderslade, P. (1997). Gorgoniidae of Indo-Pacific reefs with descriptions of two new genera (Coelenterata: Octocorallia). <em>Senckenbergiana Biologica.</em> 77: 23–25. page(s): 24 [details]
additional sourceVerseveldt, J. (1982). A revision of the genus Sarcophyton Lesson (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea). <em>Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden.</em> 192: 1-91, plates 1-24. page(s): 5 [details]
additional sourceWilliams, G.C. (1992). The Alcyonacea of southern Africa. Stoloniferous octocorals and soft corals (Coelenterata, Anthozoa). <em>Annals of the South African Museum.</em> 100: 249-358., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41110040 page(s): 271 [details]
additional sourceTixier-Durivault, A. (1958). Revision de la famille des Alcyoniidae: les genres Sarcophytum et Lobophytum. <em>Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden.</em> 36: 1-179. page(s): 3, 4 [details]
additional sourceTixier-Durivault, A. (1951). Revision de la famille des Alcyoniidae. Le genre Sinularia May, 1898. <em>Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Memoires.</em> 2(40): 1-146. page(s): 6, 7, 9, 12 [details]
additional sourceWilliams, G.C. (1986). A new species of the octocorallian genus Alcyonium (Anthozoa: Alcyonacea) from southern Africa, with a revised diagnosis of the genus. <em>Journal of Natural History.</em> 20: 53-63. page(s): 61; note: Emendation (re-diagnosis of genus) [details]
additional sourceBayer, F.M. & K.M. Muzik. (1976). A new solitary octocoral, Taiaroa tauhou gen. et sp. nov. (Coelenterata: Protoalcyonaria) from New Zealand. <em>Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.</em> 6(4): 499-515. page(s): 512 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceMcMurrich, J. P. (1893). Report on the Actiniæ collected by the United States Fish Commission Steamer Albatross during the winter of 1887-1888. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 16(930): 119-216 page(s): 120 [details]
additional sourceWilliams, G. C. (1997). Preliminary assessment of the phylogeny of Pennatulacea (Anthozoa: Octocorallia), with a reevaluation of Ediacaran frond-like fossils, and a synopsis of the history of evolutionary thought regarding the sea pens. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Coelenterate Biology, 497-509 page(s): 504 [details]
additional sourceMegina, C.; Conradi, M.; Piraino, S. (2003). Biodiversity, life cycles, and reproductive biology of deep-sea cnidarians. Berichte zur Polarforschung, 470, 108-112 page(s): 110 [details]
additional sourceFabricius, K.; Alderslade, P. (2001). Soft Corals and Sea Fans: A Comprehensive Guide to the Shallow-water Genera of the Central-West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. <em>Australian Institute of Marine Science. Townsville.</em> pp. 264. page(s): 8, 86 [details]
additional sourceWilliams, G. C. (1989). A review of recent research on the sublittoral coral reefs of northern Natal with a provisional assessment of findings regarding the distribution of octocorals on Two-Mile Reef, Sodwana Bay. South African Journal of Science, 85, 140-141 page(s): 140, 141 [details]
additional sourceReinicke, G. B.; van Ofwegen, L. P. (1999). Soft corals (Alcyonacea: Octocorallia) from shallow water in the Chagos Archipelago: species assemblages and their distribution. Linnean Society Occasional Publications, 2, 67-85, plates 1-10 page(s): 70 [details]
additional sourceBenayahu, Y.; Yosief, T.; Schleyer, M. H. (2002). Soft corals (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) of the southern Red Sea. Israel Journal of Zoology, 48, 273-283 page(s): 277 [details]
additional sourceMcFadden, C. S.; Donahue, R.; Hadland, B. K.; Weston, R. (2001). A molecular phylogenetic analysis of reproductive trait evolution in the soft coral genus Alcyonium. Evolution, 55(1): 54-67 page(s): 54, 56-64 [details]
additional sourceHwang, S. J.; Song, J. I. (2007). Reproductive biology and larval development of the temperate soft coral Dendronephthya gigantea (Alcyonacea: Nephtheidae). Marine Biology, 152, 273-284 page(s): 273, 274 [details]
additional sourceMcFadden, C. S.; Aydin, K. Y. (1996). Spatial autocorrelation analysis of small-scale genetic structure in a clonal soft coral with limited larval dispersal. Marine Biology, 126, 215-224 page(s): 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222 [details]
additional sourceMcFadden, C. S.; Hutchinson, M. B. (2004). Molecular evidence for the hybrid origin of species in the soft coral genus Alcyonium (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia). Molecular Ecology, 13, 1495-1505 page(s): 1495, 1496, 1497, 1498, 1499, 1500, 1501, 1502, 1503 [details]
additional sourceMcFadden, C. S. (1991). A comparative demographic analysis of clonal reproduction in a temperate soft coral. Ecology, 72(5): 1849-1866 page(s): 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1963, 1864 [details]
additional sourceWilliams, G. C. (1989). A provisional annotated list of octocorallian coelenterates occurring on the sublittoral coral reefs at Sodwana Bay and Kosi Bay, northern Natal, with a key to the genera. South African Journal of Science, 85, 141-144 page(s): 142 [details]
additional sourceBastidas, C.; Fabricius, K.; Willis, B. L. (2004). Demographic aspects of the soft coral Sinularia flexibilis leading to local dominance on coral reefs. Hydrobiologia, 530/531, 433-441 page(s): 440 [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Type species The genus name Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 has been used by various authors for a wide range of sessile invertebrates (a.o. sponges, ascidians and algae). The name is fixed as an Octocoral genus name by subsequent designation of Alcyonium digitatum Linnaeus, 1758 as type species by Milne Edwards & Haime, 1850 (p. lxxvii). [details]