Genus Stichopathes Brook, 1889

Type-species. Stichopathes pourtalesi Brook, 1889 (by original designation based on indirect evidence, see Bo & Opresko, 2015).

Diagnosis. “ Monopodial unbranched corallum (rarely secondarily branched following regeneration of the broken stem), stem straight, wavy, curved, or partially (upper part of stem) or entirely spiral. Polyps confined to a regular, single row on one side of axis. Spines triangular to conical, smooth or papillose, and simple, bifurcated, or with multiple knobs or lobes at apex” (Bo & Opresko, 2015).

Remarks. The genus Stichopathes comprises 34 described species, most of which were based on incomplete descriptions, and lacking collection information (e.g., S. bournei Cooper, 1909, with no locality of collection).

Distribution. Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Pacific (Molodtsova, 2014).