Menella kouare Grasshoff, 1999

Ramvilas, Ghosh, Alderslade, Philip & Ranjeet, Kutty, 2023, The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice, Zootaxa 5236 (1), pp. 1-124 : 64

Menella kouare Grasshoff, 1999

Menella kouare Grasshoff, 1999: 55 , figs. 92–95, pl. 5, fig. 4 ( New Caledonia).

Opinion: There is no evidence this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Kumar et al. 2014a: 66, pl. 30, fig. A–E (Havelock); Fernando et al. 2017: 141, pl. 65, fig A–E (Havelock).

Literature analysis: The accounts given by Kumar et al. (2014a) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical but the exact characters of the material described are uncertain as virtually all of the description is taken word-for-word from that given by Grasshoff (1999). This has resulted in the text stating their specimen has “long ascending branches” when there is only one such branch. It is important to note that the components of the polyp armature illustrated by these authors is quite different from the very characteristic, short, club-like point sclerites and thick collaret sclerites found in the holotype. Also, the surface sclerites in the Indian publications are stated to be less than 0.25 mm, so the figure scale must be wrong as it has the maximum size at about 0.07 mm, and none of the illustrated leafscales have a thin, finely denticulate upper margin as is common in those of the holotype. This species is probably endemic to New Caledonia. Kumar et al. (2015) just lists the species and figure the colony from the 2014 and 2017 publications above.