ALCYONACEA: PARASPHAERASCLCERIDAE

Genus: Parasphaerasclera Puetter, 1900. Eight species.

Description: Commonly digitiform, lobate or digitate. Sclerites are mostly derived from radiates, although spindles, barrels, tuberculate spheroids, rods and crosses sometimes present. Color permanent and variable: orange, red, pink, yellow, white or gray, sometimes bicolored or mottled.

Characteristics: Axooxanthellate. One or two species have been oberved to bioluminesce (green light) --- the only soft corals currently known to exhibit bioluminescence.

Distribution: South Africa and Indo-West Pacific (southern Africa to Japan and Tonga); 10-220 m depth.

References: WoRMS taxon details for Parasphaerasclera (http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=743777)