Related FAQs: Xeniids, Pulsing Corals, Xeniid FAQs 2, Xeniid FAQs 3, Xeniid FAQs 4, Xeniid ID, Xeniid Behavior, Xeniid Selection, Xeniid Compatibility, Xeniid Systems, Xeniid Systems 2, Xeniid Feeding, Xeniid Disease, Xeniid Health 2, Xeniid Health 3, Xeniid Reproduction, Soft Coral Propagation, Soft Coral Health,  Related Articles: Soft Corals, Order Alcyonacea,  /The Best Livestock For Your Reef Aquarium: The Pulsing Soft Corals, Family Xeniidae, Part 2 To: Part 1, Part 3

Bob Fenner

Genus Cespitularia Milne-Edwards & Haime 1850: Soft colonies, appear translucent, comprised of a few lobe-like branches. Polyps only on apex and upper areas of stalks. Similar to Xenia, but stalked bunches of polyps extend downward on stalks. Polyps often appear "basket like" (tips closely together). Numerous pinnules arranged in 1-4 rows on edges of tentacles. Seventeen nominal species.

• Benayahu Y, van Ofwegen LP, McFadden CS (2018) Evaluating the genus Cespitularia MilneEdwards & Haime, 1850 with descriptions of new genera of the family Xeniidae (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea). ZooKeys 754: 63-101. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.754.23368

Cespitularia sp. N. Sulawesi pix.

"Cespitularia sp. 2" N. White body fading to blue tentacles. Shallow water, reef flat species. One of the hobbyist-called "Blue Cespitularias". Sulawesi pix.  Conglomeratusclera coerulea...?

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Cespitularia erecta Macfadyen, 1936. Mauritius 2016

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Genus Heteroxenia Kolliker 1874: Characterized by their heteromorphic condition; possession of longer, non-retractile auto- and siphonozoid (much shorter polyps, placed on stalks in-between the autozoids... may only be seen when autozoids are retracted) polyps. Highly pinnate, long tentacles, typically non-branching colonies. 

Heteroxenia fuscescens (Ehrenberg 1834), Pom-Pom, Palaver, Pulse Coral. Indo-Pacific; most common in the Red Sea. Red Sea image.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)

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Genus Sarcothelia:

Sarcothelia (formerly Anthelia) edmondsonii (Verrill 1928). Blue Soft Coral. Light blue in color this is one of the few soft corals found in Hawai'i (and only there). Predated nightly by the Nudibranch Tritonia hawaiiensis. 1/4" inch across polyps in colonies 3-12" across.  Big Island photos.

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To: Part 1, Part 3