Nicella magna 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 : 97

Nicella magna Grasshoff, 1999

Nicella magna Grasshoff, 1999: 84 , fig. 141c, 142–143 ( New Caledonia).

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

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Fernando 2011: 127–128, pl. 90, fig. 1–1d (Cuddalore); Fernando et al. 2017: 298, pl. 140, fig. 1– 1d (Cuddalore).

Literature analysis: The descriptions of the Indian material, under the species name Nicella magma (sic), by Fernando (2011) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical and state that the colony “is in complete agreement with the description of the recently reported new species Nicella magna ”, but their material differs markedly to the holotype from New Caledonia described by Grasshoff. They state that the branching of their material is dichotomous, as is the holotype, whereas it is actually lateral, and in their sclerite figure the long spindles have pointed ends, a distinct waist and numerous girdles of tubercles, whereas those of the holotype have rounded ends, no waist and the tubercles are “loosely scattered”. In the text the authors state that these sclerites are 0.14 mm long (in the holotype they are 0.15 mm), but the scale in their figures shows the sclerites are over 0.2 mm long. This species is possibly endemic to New Caledonia.