Flabellum is a genus of marine corals belonging to the family Flabellidae. These are a diverse group of azooxanthellate corals with about 190 species, 47 of which are extant. They are exclusively solitary corals and many are deep water species.
Description Corals in this genus are solitary, erect and flattened, with a short, thick peduncle and a long elliptical, slightly curved calyx. The costae are indistinct, simple and flat. The septa are in five complete cycles and are narrow, closely packed, slightly sinuous, and covered with projecting granules.
Fossil record Fossils of Flabellum are found in marine strata from the Cretaceous until the Quaternary (age range: from 66.043 to 0.012 million years ago.). Fossils are known from various localities in Europe, North America and Australia.
Species The following species are considered to belong to the genus Flabellum:Cairns, S.; Hoeksema, B. (2013). Flabellum Lesson, 1831. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135114.
Subgenus Flabellum (Flabellum) Lesson, 1831 Flabellum angustum Yabe & Eguchi, 1942 Flabellum arcuatile Cairns, 1999 Flabellum areum Cairns, 1982 Flabellum atlanticum Cairns, 1979 Flabellum australe Moseley, 1881 Flabellum campanulatum Holdsworth, 1862 Flabellum chunii Marenzeller, 1904 Flabellum cinctutum Cairns & Polonio, 2013 Flabellum curvatum Moseley, 1881 Flabellum flexuosum Cairns, 1982 Flabellum floridanum Cairns, 1991 Flabellum folkesoni Cairns, 1998 Flabellum gardineri Cairns, 1982 Flabellum impensum Squires, 1962 Flabellum knoxi Ralph & Squires, 1962 Flabellum lamellulosum Alcock, 1902 Flabellum magnificum Marenzeller, 1904 Flabellum ongulense Eguchi, 1965 Flabellum patens Moseley, 1881 Flabellum pavoninum Lesson, 1831 Flabellum politum Cairns, 1989 Flabellum thouarsii Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 Flabellum transversale Moseley, 1881 Flabellum vaughani Cairns, 1984
Subgenus Flabellum (Ulocyathus) M. Sars, 1851 Flabellum alabastrum Moseley in Thomson, 1873 Flabellum angulare Moseley, 1876 Flabellum aotearoa Squires, 1964 Flabellum apertum Moseley, 1876 Flabellum conuis Moseley, 1881 Flabellum daphnense Durham & Barnard, 1952 Flabellum deludens Marenzeller, 1904 Flabellum hoffmeisteri Cairns & Parker, 1992 Flabellum japonicum Moseley, 1881 Flabellum lowekeyesi Squires & Ralph, 1965 Flabellum macandrewi Gray, 1849 Flabellum marcus Keller, 1974 Flabellum marenzelleri Cairns, 1989 Flabellum messum Alcock, 1902 Flabellum moseleyi Pourtalès, 1880 Flabellum sexcostatum Cairns, 1989 Flabellum tuthilli Hoffmeister, 1933
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