Plumarella Gray, 1870

Cairns, Stephen D., 2018, Primnoidae (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Calcaxonia) of the Okeanos Explorer expeditions (CAPSTONE) to the central Pacific, Zootaxa 4532 (1), pp. 1-43 : 39

Genus Plumarella Gray, 1870

Plumarella Gray, 1870: 36 .—K̹kenthal, 1919: 144–145 (key to species).—Bayer & Stefani, 1898: 454 (key to genus).— Cairns & Bayer, 2009: 3940, figs. 11K–S.— Cairns, 2011: 7 –9; 2016b: 51–52.— Cairns & Wirshing, 2018:1 , 11.

Type Species. Gorgonia penna Lamarck, 1815 , by subsequent designation ( Wright & Studer 1889: 73).

Diagnosis. Colonies uniplanar, usually pinnately branched, but may be dichotomous. Polyps usually arranged in alternating biserial fashion or isolated (random order). Polyps covered with eight longitudinal rows of body wall scales, those on the adaxial side sometimes smaller and fewer in number. The eight marginal scales do not fold over the operculum and thus usually do not have a keel on inner surface. Distal margin of marginal scales straight, pointed, serrate, or spinose. Inner face of opercular scales usually smooth (not keeled).

Discussion. Based on molecular evidence, Cairns & Wirshing (2018) recently elevated to genus level two of the four subgenera in Plumarella and collapsed the other two into one genus, Plumarella ss, which now has no subgenera and consists of 33 species.

Distribution. Central, north, and western Pacific, Patagonia, New Zealand, northwestern Atlantic, 10–3182 m.