Genus: Muricella Preliminary remarks: Species of Muricella do not have a calyx nor retractile polyps, but due to earlier confusion most species recorded in the older literature do have a calyx and retractile polyps and are generally assignable to Astrogorgia in the Plexauridae. Species of Muricella are very difficult to identify because they virtually only contain spindles, and they can only be separated if descriptions contain fine detail. Notwithstanding that, we fully agree with Samimi-Namin & van Ofwegen (2009), “Without thorough revision of the genus Muricella we consider it impossible to identify species of this genus.”

Published as part of 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, pp. 1-124 in Zootaxa 5236 (1) on page 41, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5236.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7639327