| Main Ref. | Messing, C.., 2010 |
| Appearance refers to |
| specialized organs | |
| different appearance | |
| different colors | |
| remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Diagnosis | Growth forms varies from thick encrustations more than 1 cm thick, to irregular interconnected encrusting lobes, globular masses, fused groups of conical to chimney-like tubes, or irregular branches reaching 35 cm in height and 3 cm in width. Surface either smooth and finely porous with many fine perforations, or finely rugose. May also be slimy and corrugated out of water. Exterior is commonly orange-brown, but may also be yellow-orange, orange, yellowish-brown or red-orange. Yellow to cream interior. Firm and brittle consistency. Mucus exudate rare. Oscules flush or elevated on conical lobes or tubes with a yellow collar membrane, may be evenly spaced, scattered, or in rows that fuse together into low ridges. May be surrounded by fine radiating grooves (Ref. 85482). |
| Ease of Identification | likely to be confused with closely related species. |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| spines | |
| soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| spines | |
| soft-rays |