Gorgoniacea

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Gorgoniacea \Gor*go`ni*a"ce*a\, n. pl. [NL. See {Gorgonia}.]
     (Zool.)
     One of the principal divisions of Alcyonaria, including those
     forms which have a firm and usually branched axis, covered
     with a porous crust, or c[oe]nenchyma, in which the polyp
     cells are situated.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The axis is commonly horny, but it may be solid and
           stony (composed of calcium carbonate), as in the red
           coral of commerce, or it may be in alternating horny
           and stony joints, as in Isis. See {Alcyonaria},
           {Anthozoa}, {C[oe]nenchyma}.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Gorgoniacea
       n : red corals and sea fans [syn: {Gorgonacea}, {suborder
           Gorgonacea}, {suborder Gorgoniacea}]