Opresko, D.M. 2002. Revision of the Antipatharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). Part 2. Schizopathidae. Zool. Med. Leiden, 76 (22): 411-442.
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The family of antipatharian corals, Schizopathidae (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Antipatharia), is revised. The
family is characterized by polyps elongated in the direction of the axis and having a transverse diameter
of 2 mm or more. Genera are recognized on the basis of morphological features of the corallum.
Schizopathes Brook (type species: S. crassa Brook) has a simple, pinnate corallum with a hook-like holdfast
for support in soft sediments. Bathypathes Brook (type species: B. patula Brook) is characterized by
a simple pinnate corallum and a flat discoidal basal plate for attaching to a solid substrate. Parantipathes
Brook (type species: Antipathes larix Esper) has a largely monopodial corallum with simple
pinnules in six or more rows. Taxipathes Brook (type species: T. recta Brook) has a branched corallum
and simple pinnules in four to eight rows. Lillipathes gen. nov. (type species: Antipathes lilliei Totton)
has simple pinnules in four rows. Stauropathes gen. nov. (type species: S. staurocrada spec. nov.) is
branched with simple, bilateral, subopposite pinnules. Abyssopathes gen. nov. (type species: Bathypathes
lyra Brook) is monopodial with two rows of simple, lateral pinnules and one (sometimes multiple)
row of simple or branched anterior pinnules. Dendrobathypathes gen. nov. (type species: D. grandis
spec. nov.) has a branched, planar corallum with two rows of subpinnulated primary pinnules.
Saropathes gen. nov. (type species: Bathypathes scoparia Totton) is monopodial to sparsely branched,
with four rows of subpinnulated primary pinnules.
