Scleraxonia is a

suborder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and recognized ...

coral Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...

s, a member of the

phylum In biology, a phylum (; : phyla) is a level of classification, or taxonomic rank, that is below Kingdom (biology), kingdom and above Class (biology), class. Traditionally, in botany the term division (taxonomy), division has been used instead ...

Cnidaria Cnidaria ( ) is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic invertebrates found both in fresh water, freshwater and marine environments (predominantly the latter), including jellyfish, hydroid (zoology), hydroids, ...

Characteristics

Members of Scleraxonia have a skeletal axis made of calcified spicules, organic fibres or both, which may be separate, linked or fused together.

Families and genera

There are nine recognised families in this suborder and over thirty genera, with four families ( Anthothelidae,

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 ...

, Coralliidae and Subergorgiidae) containing some deep-water species and two families ( Paragorgiidae and Parisididae) being exclusively deep water.

Families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

and

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 viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

in this suborder include: * Anthothelidae Broch, 1916 ** '' Alertigorgia'' Kükenthal, 1908 ** '' Anthothela'' Verrill, 1879 ** '' Briareopsis'' Bayer, 1993 ** '' Erythropodium'' Kölliker, 1865 ** '' Iciligorgia'' Duchassaing, 1870 ** '' Lateothela'' Moore, Alderslade & Miller, 2017 ** '' Solenocaulon'' Gray, 1862 ** '' Stereogorgia'' ** '' Tubigorgia'' Pasternak, 1985 ** '' Williamsium'' Moore, Alderslade & Miller, 2017 *

Gray, 1859 ** ''

Briareum ''Briareum'' is a genus 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 biolo ...

'' Blainville, 1834 ** '' Lignopsis'' Perez & Zamponi, 2000 ** '' Pseudosuberia'' Kükenthal, 1919 * Coralliidae Lamouroux, 1812 ** '' Corallium'' Cuvier, 1798 ** '' Hemicorallium'' Gray, 1867 ** '' Paracorallium'' Bayer & Cairns, 2003 * Melithaeidae Gray, 1870 ** '' Asperaxis'' Alderslade, 2007 ** '' Melithaea'' Milne-Edwards, 1857 * Paragorgiidae Kukenthal, 1916 ** '' Paragorgia'' Milne-Edwards, 1857 ** '' Sibogagorgia'' Stiasny, 1937 * Parisididae Aurivillius, 1931 ** '' Parisis'' Verrill, 1864 * Spongiodermidae Wright & Studer, 1889 ** '' Callipodium'' Verrill, 1876 ** '' Diodogorgia'' Kuekenthal, 1919 ** '' Homophyton'' Gray, 1866 ** '' Sclerophyton'' Cairns & Wirshing, 2015 ** '' Titanideum'' Verrill, 1864 ** '' Tripalea'' Bayer, 1955 * Subergorgiidae Gray, 1859 ** '' Annella'' Gray, 1858 ** '' Rosgorgia'' Lopez Gonzalez & Gili, 2001 ** '' Subergorgia'' Gray, 1857 *

Victorgorgiidae ''Victorgorgia'' is a genus of cnidarians belonging to the monotypic family Victorgorgiidae. The species of this genus are found in Pacific Ocean, Central America. Species: *''Victorgorgia alba'' *''Victorgorgia argentea'' *''Victorgorgia em ...

Moore, Alderslade & Miller, 2017 ** '' Victorgorgia'' Lopez Gonzalez & Briand, 2002

References

Alcyonacea Cnidarian suborders {{Octocorallia-stub