Brook, 1889
Aphanipathes reticulata
Type species: Aphanipathes sarothamnoides Brook, 1889
Total number of species estimated: 10.
[The most common species: A. reticulata (Esper); A. cancellata Brook; A. indistincta van Pesch; A. undulata van Pesch]
Description: Colonies bushy, fan-shaped, or pinnately branched. Spines large, conical to cylindrical; usually much longer on the polyp side of the axis; sometimes longer around the polyps. Surface of spines usually covered with small tubercles, sometimes smooth. Longest spines often penetrating the surface of the polyps. Polyps 1-3 mm in transverse diameter.
Habitat: Mostly upper slope; occasionally on reefs.
Range: Subtropic and tropic regions; rare in temperate water, absent in boreal, Arctic and Antarctic regions. The highest diversity of species is found in the tropical waters.
Zooanthellate: Not reported.
Key references: Brook, 1889; Schultze, 1896; van Pesch, 1914; Pax, 1932.