''Briareum'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
soft corals in the family
Briareidae
Briareidae is a family of corals, a member of the phylum Cnidaria.
Genera
Genera
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as vir ...
. The coral is cultivated by aquarium owners (under the common name "green star polyp" or GSP) for its fluorescing polyps, which reveal themselves under
actinic light. The genus is in need of extensive examination, as many specimens sold by marketers display unique and similar characteristics, but are often labeled as one species, ''Pachyclavularia violacea''.
Species
The following species are recognized within the genus:
* ''
Briareum asbestinum''
(Pallas, 1766)
* ''
Briareum contortum''
(Kükenthal, 1906)
* ''
Briareum cylindrum''
Samimi-Namin & van Ofwegen, 2016
* ''
Briareum hamrum''
(Gohar, 1948)
* ''
Briareum palmachristi''
Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860
* ''
Briareum stechei''
(Kükenthal, 1908)
* ''
Briareum violaceum''
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)
References
Briareidae
Octocorallia genera
{{Octocorallia-stub