A qualitative appraisal of the soft corals (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) off Mandapam, South India

The discovery of rare prostaglandins in soft corals has initiated a general interest in this group as an easily available source of several 'wonder drugs'. During the present study four species of soft corals from the family Alcyoniidae are described in the light of scanning electromicrographs of the sclerites to facilitate easy identification. Although 28 species are recorded earlier, three species listed in the present account are new records to the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve