Melithaea spp., 1857

Williams, Gary C., 2018, Illustrated Key and Synopses of Shallow-water Gorgonians and Pennatulaceans of the Central Philippines, Part 2 (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (13), pp. 361-398 : 364

Melithaea spp.

Figure 2

REMARKS.— In part 1 of this study, Williams and Chen (2014:76-77) distinguished the genus Acabaria from Melithaea . Fabricius and Alderslade (2001) recognized the intermediate nature of of particular morphological features that were used by previous authors to distinguish between several melithaeid genera, and suggested that with future research the several melithaeid genera might eventually be synonymized with the first described genus Melithaea . Subsequently, Alderslade (2006) and Reijnen et al. (2014) maintained that there are two valid genera of melithaeids ( Melithaea Milne Edwards and Haime, 1857 , and Asperaxis Alderslade, 2006 ), and that molecular and morphological evidence suggests that five previously recognized genera ( Acabaria, Clathraria, Melitodes, Mopsella , and Wrightella ) are best recognized as synonyms of the genus Melithaea .

REFERENCES.— Alderslade (2006), Fabricius and Alderslade (2001), Gosliner et al. (1996), Ofwegen (2016), Reijnen et al. (2014), Williams (1992).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Underwater photographs of various species of Melithaea from the central Philippine islands; those in A, C, and D were formerly included in the genus Acabaria, which is now considered as a junior synonym of Melithaea.