Grasshoffia, Williams, Gary C., 2015

Williams, Gary C., 2015, A new genus and species of pennatulacean octocoral from equatorial West Africa (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Virgulariidae), ZooKeys 546, pp. 39-50 : 41

Taxon classification Animalia Pennatulacea Virgulariidae

Genus Grasshoffia gen. n. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Generic diagnosis.

Virgulariid pennatulaceans with polyp leaves rolled or convoluted; 20-26 polyps per polyp leaf; polyp leaves and coenenchyme contain rod-like, somewhat three-flanged sclerites, with parallel sides, broadly triangular at each end, 0.02 to 0.06 mm in length.

Type species.

Grasshoffia virgularioides by original designation.

Etymology.

The genus is named for Dr. Manfred Grasshoff in recognition of his important contributions to the systematics of octocorals, particularly gorgonians and pennatulaceans. He is currently Honorary Scientist at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt, for his significant contributions to the taxonomy and evolution of octocoral cnidarians. From 1969-2001, Dr. Grasshoff headed the Marine Invertebrates Section at the Institute, where his main research objectives were the taxonomy of octocorals and the evolutionary biology of coelenterates, as well as more general aspects of evolution and phylogeny. From 1972 to 1989 he published several papers on deep-sea pennatulaceans from European and North Atlantic waters ( Grasshoff 1972, 1973, 1982).