ERMS taxon details
Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758
125284 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:125284)
accepted
Genus
Alcyonium digitatum Linnaeus, 1758 (type by subsequent designation)
Parerythropodium Kükenthal, 1916 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
- Species Alcyonium acaule Marion, 1878
- Species Alcyonium bocagei (Saville Kent, 1870)
- Species Alcyonium coralloides (Pallas, 1766)
- Species Alcyonium digitatum Linnaeus, 1758
- Species Alcyonium glomeratum (Hassall, 1843)
- Species Alcyonium hibernicum (Renouf, 1931)
- Species Alcyonium norvegicum (Koren & Danielssen, 1883)
- Species Alcyonium palmatum Pallas, 1766
- Species Alcyonium aurantium Pallas, 1766 accepted as Tethya aurantium (Pallas, 1766) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
- Species Alcyonium boletiforme Lamarck, 1815 accepted as Polymastia boletiformis (Lamarck, 1815) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
- Species Alcyonium cranium Müller, 1776 accepted as Craniella cranium (Müller, 1776) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
- Species Alcyonium cydonium Linnaeus, 1767 accepted as Geodia cydonium (Linnaeus, 1767) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
- Species Alcyonium domuncula Olivi, 1792 accepted as Suberites domuncula (Olivi, 1792) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
- Species Alcyonium epiphytum Lamarck, 1815 accepted as Protosuberites epiphytum (Lamarck, 1815) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
- Species Alcyonium ficus Pallas, 1766 (uncertain > taxon inquirendum)
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
recent only
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 at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 803 [details] Available for editors
page(s): 803 [details] Available for editors
ERMS (2025). Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: https://www.marbef.org/data/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=125284 on 2025-07-02
Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvanitidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2025). European Register of Marine Species. Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: http://marbef.org/data/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=125284 on 2025-07-02
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The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons
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original description
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 at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 803 [details] Available for editors
original description (of Parerythropodium 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 at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14178786
page(s): 461-464 [details]
taxonomy source Hartmeyer, R. (1916). Zur Deutung einiger Alcyonium-Arten. <em>Sitzungsberichte der Gesellsch. naturf. Freunde, Berlin.</em> 8: 245-259. [details]
taxonomy source Lüttschwager, H. (1915). Beitrage zu einer Revision der Familie Alcyoniidae. <em>Archiv für Naturgeschichte, Abteilung A.</em> 80(10): 1-42., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12955834
page(s): 16-27 [details]
basis of record van 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 RoR) [details]
additional source Verseveldt, J. (1971). Octocorallia from North-Western Madagascar (Part II). <em>Zoologische Verhandelingen.</em> 1-73, plates 1-15. [details]
additional source McFadden, 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 source van 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 source Williams, 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 source Verseveldt, 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 at http://repository.naturalis.nl/document/149141
page(s): 3, 8, 10, 11 [details] Available for editors
additional source McFadden, 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 at https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4363.4.1
page(s): 460 [details] Available for editors
additional source Bayer, 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 at https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/506065
page(s): 51 [details] Available for editors
additional source McFadden, 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 at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7410.2003.tb00076.x
page(s): 109, 111 [details] Available for editors
additional source Grasshoff, 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 source Verseveldt, 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 source Williams, 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 at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41110040
page(s): 271 [details]
additional source Tixier-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 source Tixier-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 source Williams, 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 source Bayer, 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
additional source McMurrich, 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 source Williams, 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 source Megina, 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 source Fabricius, 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 source Williams, 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 source Reinicke, 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 source Benayahu, 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 source McFadden, 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 source Hwang, 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 source McFadden, 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 source McFadden, 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 source McFadden, 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 source Williams, 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 source Bastidas, 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]
page(s): 803 [details] Available for editors
original description (of Parerythropodium 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 at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14178786
page(s): 461-464 [details]
taxonomy source Hartmeyer, R. (1916). Zur Deutung einiger Alcyonium-Arten. <em>Sitzungsberichte der Gesellsch. naturf. Freunde, Berlin.</em> 8: 245-259. [details]
taxonomy source Lüttschwager, H. (1915). Beitrage zu einer Revision der Familie Alcyoniidae. <em>Archiv für Naturgeschichte, Abteilung A.</em> 80(10): 1-42., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12955834
page(s): 16-27 [details]
basis of record van 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 RoR) [details]
additional source Verseveldt, J. (1971). Octocorallia from North-Western Madagascar (Part II). <em>Zoologische Verhandelingen.</em> 1-73, plates 1-15. [details]
additional source McFadden, 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 source van 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 source Williams, 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 source Verseveldt, 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 at http://repository.naturalis.nl/document/149141
page(s): 3, 8, 10, 11 [details] Available for editors
additional source McFadden, 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 at https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4363.4.1
page(s): 460 [details] Available for editors
additional source Bayer, 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 at https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/506065
page(s): 51 [details] Available for editors
additional source McFadden, 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 at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7410.2003.tb00076.x
page(s): 109, 111 [details] Available for editors
additional source Grasshoff, 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 source Verseveldt, 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 source Williams, 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 at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41110040
page(s): 271 [details]
additional source Tixier-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 source Tixier-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 source Williams, 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 source Bayer, 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
additional source McMurrich, 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 source Williams, 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 source Megina, 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 source Fabricius, 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 source Williams, 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 source Reinicke, 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 source Benayahu, 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 source McFadden, 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 source Hwang, 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 source McFadden, 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 source McFadden, 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 source McFadden, 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 source Williams, 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 source Bastidas, 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
