Guaiagorgia anas Grasshoff & Alderslade, 1997

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 : 75

Guaiagorgia anas Grasshoff & Alderslade, 1997

Guaiagorgia anas Grasshoff & Alderslade, 1997: 24 , fig. 1–4 ( New Caledonia).

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

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Fernando 2011: 108–109, pl. 66, fig. 1–1d (Cuddalore); Fernando et al. 2017: 216, pl. 99, fig. 1–1d (Cuddalore).

Literature analysis: The accounts given by Fernando (2011); Fernando et al. (2017) are identical but the sclerite figures are rather unclear and would appear not to show the range of forms mentioned in the text. The material does appear to be a species of Guaiagorgia but G. anas does not have sclerites like the two long pointed forms in plate 99, fig. 1d.