Alaskagorgia Sanchez and Cairns 2004

Genus Alaskagorgia Sánchez and Cairns, 2004

Type species: Alaskagorgia aleutiana Sánchez and Cairns, 2004; by monotype and original designation.

Diagnosis: Gorgonians having a non-mineralized, proteinaceous supporting central axis, with a wide, chambered central core and markedly loculated cortex. Colonies stout, upright, laterally branched, with thick, more or less clavate terminal branches. Polyps are densely armed with acute, irregularly tuberculate spindles, not arranged in crown-and-points display, fully retractile within a thick coenenchyme. Outermost coenenchymal sclerites small, stubby double heads, with tubercles/warts not distinctly arranged in transverse belts. Main coenenchymal sclerites larger with more distinct rays, bearing complex tubercles/warts; axial sheath sclerites as capstans, with less complex tubercles/warts. All sclerites colorless.

Remarks: Specimens of this genus cannot be assigned to any other based upon the appearance of the sclerites: typically, very small surface sclerites, octoradiate-derived capstans with girdles and warts found on the capstans exhibiting sub-ornamentation visually similar to those found on the capstans of species in the genus Acanthogorgiidae.

1. 1 Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA.