Conglomeratusclera, Benayahu, Yehuda, Ofwegen, Leen P. van & McFadden, Catherine S., 2018

Benayahu, Yehuda, Ofwegen, Leen P. van & McFadden, Catherine S., 2018, Evaluating the genus Cespitularia MilneEdwards & Haime, 1850 with descriptions of new genera of the family Xeniidae (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea), ZooKeys 754, pp. 63-101 : 65

Conglomeratusclera gen. n.

Type species.

Cespitularia coerulea May, 1898: 21

Diagnosis.

Colonies soft with a short but distinct stalk, ramified into primary branches and occasionally into secondary ones. Polyps monomorphic, found along the branches, sometimes down on the stalk; most are non-retractile. Sclerites of a wide diversity of forms and dimensions, many lacking a distinct repetitive morphology. They include spheres, spherules, and small dumbbell-like sclerites. They are commonly cemented together, forming heterogeneous morphologies of various shapes and sizes. Occasionally, the aggregates form plate-like structures, embedded with spheres and/or spherules. The abundance of sclerites can vary greatly; in some specimens they are rare and then mostly found only at the colony base, and occasionally they may be found in all parts of the colonies, or may even be entirely absent. Zooxanthellate.

Etymology.

The generic name is derived from Latin conglomerātus, which refers to anything composed of heterogeneous materials or elements and sclera from Greek meaning sclerite. Here it denotes the sclerites that resemble the geological structures termed conglomerates, a feature comprising rounded to sub-angular clast of granules, pebbles or cobbles cemented together. Gender female.