Pseudaxonia

Pseudaxonia, the order of Alcyonarian corals, of which the "red coral" of commerce (Corallinm rubrum) is the best-known representative. The order is characterised by the presence of a rod-like, branching skeleton, which is surrounded by the fleshy parts of the animals which compose the colony. The skeleton is therefore said to be sclerobasic: it consists in Corallinm of fused calcareous spicules; in other groups these spicules are less abundant and occur either scattered through a horny axis (as in the Sclerogorgiacea), or the skeleton consists of joints formed of spicules alternating with others formed of horny material (as in Melithced). The oldest representatives of the order are some Jurassic species of Corallium.