Nephtheidae

Nephtheidae is a family of soft corals in the phylum Cnidaria. Members of this family are known as carnation corals, tree corals or colt soft corals. They are very attractive and show a wide range of rich and pastel colours including reds, pinks, yellows and purples. They are popular with reef aquarium hobbyists.

Nephtheidae
Capnella sp.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Octocorallia
Order:	Alcyonacea
Suborder:	Alcyoniina
Family:	Nephtheidae Gray, 1862
Genera
See text

Most of these corals are arborescent and have little knobs on the end of their rubbery branches. The coral polyps tend to retract in the daytime which gives these corals their alternative name of broccoli corals because of their resemblance to the vegetable. At night the polyps emerge and extend their tentacles to feed, looking like little bunches of flowers on the ends of the branches.

The World Register of Marine Species includes the following genera in this family:

• Capnella Gray, 1869
• Chondronephthya Utinomi, 1960
• Chromonephthea van Ofwegen, 2005
• Coronephthya Utinomi, 1966
• Dendronephthya Kuekenthal, 1905
• Drifa Danielssen, 1886
• Duva Koren & Danielssen, 1883
• Eunephthya Verrill, 1869
• Gersemia Marenzeller, 1877
• Lemnalia Gray, 1868
• Litophyton Forskål, 1775
• Neospongodes Kükenthal, 1903
• Pacifiphyton Williams, 1997
• Paralemnalia Kükenthal, 1913
• Pseudodrifa Utinomi, 1961
• Scleronephthya Studer, 1887
• Stereonephthya Kükenthal, 1905
• Umbellulifera Thomson & Dean, 1931

•  
  Capnella thyrsoidea
•  
  Dendronephthya klunzingeri
•  
  Eunephthya thyrsoidea
•  
  Gersemia antarctica
•  
  Nephthya sp.
•  
  Scleronephthya sp.