Verrucella

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

Genus: Verrucella

Preliminary remarks: When designating a neotype Verrucella umbraculum ( Ellis & Solander, 1786) , Bayer & Grasshoff (1994) stated, “Closely branched, flabellate species of ellisellids are extremely similar in general appearance and can be separated only on the basis of detailed analysis of sclerites in conjunction with colonial form and branching pattern. Under present-day standards of taxonomic discrimination species established without illustrations of sclerites usually cannot be recognised.” Unfortunately, the records of occurrences of specimens of this genus in the region do not include any detailed analysis of the sclerites. Most descriptions contain images of masses of sclerites that are all far too small to see any detail, and these do not permit discrimination between the nominal taxa. This can be further complicated when sclerite dimensions or descriptions given in the text do not agree with the illustrations. Comments on the individual accounts are given below, but from the available data it appears that many of the nominal species can be synonymised and these are stated.