Aethisis Xu, Lu & Xu, 2024

Xu, Yu, Lu, Bo, Watling, Les, Zhan, Zifeng, Wang, Chunsheng & Xu, Kuidong, 2024, Studies on western Pacific gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia). Part 3: towards a revision of the bamboo corals (Keratoisididae) with descriptions of three new genera and four new species, Zootaxa 5555 (2), pp. 151-181 : 161

Aethisis Xu, Lu & Xu , gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:51E29B7C-3BA4-4302-9E08-D8F19B748580

Diagnosis. Colony with branches dichotomously branched in different planes. Branches originating from the nodes. Polyps turreted and cylindrical with an expanded tentacular part and a bare, sclerite-free area at the base of each tentacle, sparsely and irregularly arranged on all sides of the axis. Sclerites often with toothed lateral edges, including scales with a slightly medial constriction in pinnules, flat rods in tentacle rachis, flat rods, sparse spindles and thick scales with an obvious medial constriction in polyp body wall and coenenchyme. Rods in pharynx with rough irregular projections on the all sides.

Type species. Aethisis turriformis Xu, Lu & Xu , sp. nov.

Etymology. The name is a combination of Greek prefix “aeth-” (unusual and strange) and + isis, the stem group name.