Briareum hamrum ( Gohar, 1948 )

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 : 20

Briareum hamrum ( Gohar, 1948)

Clavularia hamra Gohar, 1948: 4 , figs. 1–5 (Red Sea); Verseveldt 1970: 209 (Red Sea).

Sympodium violaceum Broch & Horridge, 1956: 157 .

Briareum hamra Alderslade 2000: 246 .

Briareum hamrum Benayahu et al. 2003: 57 ( Mozambique) (listed); Samimi-Namin & Ofwegen 2016: 12–18 , figs 8–11 (Red Sea, East Africa, Oman Sea, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf.).

Opinion: There is little evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Kumar et al. 2014: 10, pl. 2, fig. A–F (Havelock, S. Andaman).

Literature analysis: An excellent overview of this genus in the Indo-Pacific was given by Samimi-Namin & Ofwegen (2016). A single report that this species occurs in the region (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) appeared in Kumar et al. (2014: PY-P). The material was described as “Colony form thin encrusting membranous sheets, small clusters of knobs (sic), tall finger like lobes or large tangles of cylindrical branches. Polyps are monomorphic, retractile and up to about 15mm tall. Live and preserved colonies are reddish-purple colour”, which clearly included a mixture of species. The “thin encrusting membranous sheets, small clusters of knobs” could indicate B. hamrum , although that species is thought to be restricted to the Red Sea, East Africa, Oman Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf. The “tall finger like lobes or large tangles of cylindrical branches” could indicate colonies of either Briareum stechei ( Kükenthal, 1908) , B. cylindricum Samimi-Namin & Ofwegen (2016) , or an unknown species, and the underwater images provided indicate specimens of B. violaceum (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833) or an unknown species. The few green sclerite images could possibly be from the latter species.