Order
Common name: Soft corals
Scientific name: Alcyonacea
Alcyonacea, commonly known as soft corals, encompasses a diverse group of octocorallian cnidarians that are important components of reef ecosystems. Unlike their hard coral relatives, they lack a rigid calcium carbonate skeleton, instead possessing a flexible structure often reinforced by small skeletal elements called sclerites. This order includes popular aquarium species like leather corals, sea fans, and gorgonians, which are appreciated for their varied forms and colors. They typically require moderate lighting and water flow, and many harbor symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, which can provide them with nutrients through photosynthesis.
- Common name: dead man's fingersScientific name: Alcyonium digitatum
- Common name: Red sea fingersScientific name: Alcyonium glomeratum
- Common name: Dead Man's FingersScientific name: Alcyonium palmatum
- Common name: Waving Hand CoralScientific name: Anthelia glauca
- Common name: slimy sea plumeScientific name: Antillogorgia americana
- Common name: forked sea featherScientific name: Antillogorgia bipinnata
- Common name: Sea PlumeScientific name: Antillogorgia elisabethae
- Common name: corky sea fingersScientific name: Briareum asbestinum
- Common name: Kenya Tree CoralScientific name: Capnella imbricata
- Common name: Colt CoralScientific name: Cladiella australis
- Common name: Cauliflower CoralScientific name: Cladiella pauciflora
- Common name: Green Star PolypsScientific name: Clavularia viridis
- Common name: Feather Star CoralScientific name: Coelogorgia palmosa
- Common name: Carnation CoralScientific name: Dendronephthya klunzingeri
- Common name: Carnation CoralScientific name: Dendronephthya rubeola
- Common name: Jeweled CoralScientific name: Dichotella gemmacea
- Common name: colorful sea rodScientific name: Diodogorgia nodulifera
- Common name: Encrusting GorgonianScientific name: Erythropodium carybaeorum
- Common name: Bent Sea RodScientific name: Eunicea flexuosa
- Common name: venus sea fanScientific name: Gorgonia flabellum
- Common name: Purple Sea RodScientific name: Gorgonia mariae
- Common name: purple sea fanScientific name: Gorgonia ventalina
- Common name: Hicksonella CoralScientific name: Hicksonella princeps
- Common name: Branching Pipe CoralScientific name: Isis hippuris
- Common name: Delicate Sea WhipScientific name: Junceella fragilis
- Common name: carmine sea sprayScientific name: Leptogorgia miniata
- Common name: Devil's Hand Leather CoralScientific name: Lobophytum crassum
- Common name: Red Sea FanScientific name: Melithaea splendens
- Common name: California Sea FanScientific name: Muricea californica
- Common name: Violet Sea RodScientific name: Muricea fruticosa
- Common name: delicate spiny sea rodScientific name: Muricea laxa
- Common name: spiny sea fanScientific name: Muricea muricata
- Common name: Gorgonian Sea FanScientific name: Muricella plectana
- Common name: bottle-brush coralScientific name: Muriceopsis flavida
- Common name: Pink sea fingersScientific name: Parerythropodium hibernicum
- Common name: double-forked plexaurellaScientific name: Plexaurella dichotoma
- Common name: angular sea whipScientific name: Pterogorgia anceps
- Common name: yellow sea whipScientific name: Pterogorgia citrina
- Common name: Yellow FungusScientific name: Rhytisma fulvum
- Common name: Toadstool Leather CoralScientific name: Sarcophyton ehrenbergi
- Common name: Yellow Leather CoralScientific name: Sarcophyton elegans
- Common name: Leather coralScientific name: Sarcophyton glaucum
- Common name: Elephant Ear CoralScientific name: Sarcophyton latum
- Common name: Leather CoralScientific name: Sarcophyton tenuispiculatum
- Common name: Mushroom leather coralScientific name: Sarcophyton trocheliophorum
- Common name: Finger Leather CoralScientific name: Sinularia asterolobata
- Common name: Cabbage Leather CoralScientific name: Sinularia brassica
- Common name: Spaghetti Finger Leather CoralScientific name: Sinularia flexibilis
- Common name: Leather CoralScientific name: Sinularia notanda
- Common name: Finger Leather CoralScientific name: Sinularia polydactyla
- Common name: Yellow Tree CoralScientific name: Studeriotes longiramosa
- Common name: red polyp octocoralScientific name: Swiftia exserta
- Common name: Waving Hand CoralScientific name: Thesea nutans
- Common name: Organ pipe coralScientific name: Tubipora musica
- Common name: Pulsing XeniaScientific name: Xenia elongata
- Common name: Pulsing XeniaScientific name: Xenia umbellata