Acanthogorgia turgida Nutting, 1910

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 : 39

Acanthogorgia turgida Nutting, 1910

Acanthogorgia turgida Nutting, 1910: 21–22 , pl. 1, fig. 2, 2a, pl. 19, fig 4 (Buton Island, Kei Island, Timor Island); Stiasny 1947: 50–52, text figs. I, J.

Opinion: There is no evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomas & George 1990: 420–421, pl. 1C, fig. 1e, 1–4 (off Bombay); Thomas et al. 1998: 163, fig. 1D, 1–4 (off Quilon).

Literature analysis: Nutting’s original description of this species includes several sclerite drawings that could represent a number of different species of Acanthogorgia , but his material was redescribed by Stiasny who gave a good figure of a polyp even though the sclerite figures were rather crude. Regarding the Indian records, however, it is not possible to determine what species Thomas & George (1990) or Thomas et al. (1998) had.