# Dendronephthya

Dendronephthya Kükenthal, 1905 è un genere di octocoralli coloniali della famiglia Nephtheidae, noti comunemente come coralli molli.

## Descrizione

Sono polipi coloniali privi di uno scheletro carbonatico o calcareo, che formano strutture arborescenti, ondeggianti, di consistenza gelatinosa, di colorazione variabile dal bianco al giallo, dal verde all'azzurro, dal rosa al viola.

## Biologia

I tentacoli delle specie di Dendronephthya contengono una proteina fluorescente, nota come eosFP, utilizzata come marker in biologia molecolare.

## Distribuzione e habitat

Le specie del genere Dendronephthya sono diffuse nelle barriere coralline dell'Indo-Pacifico.
Alcune specie sono sciafile e crescono all'interno di grotte, mentre altre crescono in piena luce.

## Tassonomia

È il genere più numeroso della famiglia Nephtheidae; comprende le seguenti 253 specie:
* Dendronephthya acaulis Kükenthal, 1906
* Dendronephthya aculeata Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya agaricoides Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya alba Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya albogilva Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya alcocki Thomson & Henderson, 1906
* Dendronephthya alexanderi Nutting, 1908
* Dendronephthya amaebisclera Thomson & Dean, 1931
* Dendronephthya ambigua Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya andamanensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya andersoni Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya anguina Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya annectens Sherriffs, 1922
* Dendronephthya arakanensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya arborea May, 1899
* Dendronephthya arbuscula Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya argentea Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya armata Holm, 1895
* Dendronephthya armifer Thomson & Dean, 1931
* Dendronephthya aruensis Kükenthal, 1910
* Dendronephthya aspera Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya aurantiaca Thomson & Henderson, 1906
* Dendronephthya aurea Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya aurora Ridley, 1887
* Dendronephthya australis Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya biformata Harrison, 1908
* Dendronephthya binongkoensis Verseveldt, 1966
* Dendronephthya boletiformis Ridley, 1887
* Dendronephthya bonnieri Verseveldt, 1960
* Dendronephthya booleyi Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya boschmai Verseveldt, 1966
* Dendronephthya brachycaulos Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya brevirama Burchardt, 1898
* Dendronephthya bruuni Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
* Dendronephthya caerula Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya candida Pütter, 1900
* Dendronephthya carnea Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya castanea Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya cervicornus Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya chimnoi Harrison, 1908
* Dendronephthya cirsium Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya clara Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya clavata Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya cocosiensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya colemani Verseveldt, 1977
* Dendronephthya collaris Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya colombiensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya composita Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya conica Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya coronata Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya costatorubra Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya crassa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya crosslandi Thomson & Henderson, 1906
* Dendronephthya crystallina Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya curvata Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya decipiens Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya decussatospinosa Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya delicatissima Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya dendritica Utinomi, 1954
* Dendronephthya dendrophyta Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya densa Kükenthal, 1906
* Dendronephthya depressa Kükenthal, 1895
* Dendronephthya devexa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya dichotoma Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya disciformis Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya divaricata Gray, 1862
* Dendronephthya doederleini Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya dofleini Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya dollfusi Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya dromidicola Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya eburnea Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya echinata Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
* Dendronephthya ehrenbergi Kükenthal, 1904
* Dendronephthya electa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya elegans Harrison, 1908
* Dendronephthya elongata Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya erinacea Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya fallax Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya featherensis Verseveldt, 1977
* Dendronephthya filigrana Kükenthal, 1906
* Dendronephthya fischeri Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya flabellifera Studer, 1888
* Dendronephthya flammea Sherriffs, 1922
* Dendronephthya flava May, 1899
* Dendronephthya florida Esper, 1791
* Dendronephthya foliata Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya folifera Pütter, 1900
* Dendronephthya formosa Gravier, 1908
* Dendronephthya fragilis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya furcata Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya fusca Studer, 1894
* Dendronephthya ganjamensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya gardineri Thomson & Mackinnon, 1909
* Dendronephthya gigantea Verrill, 1864
* Dendronephthya gilva Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya gloriosa Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya golgotha Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya gracillima Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya grandiflora Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya gravieri Kükenthal, 1910
* Dendronephthya gregoriensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya griffini Roxas, 1933
* Dendronephthya guggenheimi Roxas, 1933
* Dendronephthya habereri Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya hadzii Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
* Dendronephthya halterosclera Thomson & Dean, 1931
* Dendronephthya harrisoni Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya hartmeyeri Kükenthal, 1903
* Dendronephthya hemprichi Klunzinger, 1877
* Dendronephthya heterocyathus Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya hicksoni Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya hirsuta Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya hyalina Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya hystricosa Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
* Dendronephthya inconfusa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya inermis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya inhacaensis Verseveldt, 1960
* Dendronephthya investigata Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya involuta Kükenthal, 1895
* Dendronephthya irregularis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya japonica Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya jucunda Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya klunzingeri (Studer, 1888)
* Dendronephthya koellikeri Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya kukenthali Thomson & Henderson, 1906
* Dendronephthya kukenthali Gravier, 1908
* Dendronephthya lanxifera Holm, 1895
* Dendronephthya latipes Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya laxa Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya lokobeensis Verseveldt
* Dendronephthya longicaulis Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya longispina Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya lutea Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya macrocaulis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya macrospina Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya magna Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya magnacantha Nutting, 1912
* Dendronephthya malabarensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya malaya Roxas, 1933
* Dendronephthya manyanensis Roxas, 1933
* Dendronephthya marenzelleri Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya masoni Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya maxima Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya mayi (Kükenthal, 1904)
* Dendronephthya merguiensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya mertoni Kükenthal, 1910
* Dendronephthya mexicana Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya michaelseni Kükenthal, 1910
* Dendronephthya microspiculata Pütter, 1900
* Dendronephthya minima Verseveldt, 1966
* Dendronephthya mirabilis (Tixier-Durivault & Prevorsek, 1962)
* Dendronephthya miriabilis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya mirifica Tixier-Durivault, 1972
* Dendronephthya mollis Holm, 1895
* Dendronephthya monticulosa Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya mortenseni Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
* Dendronephthya moseri Roxas, 1933
* Dendronephthya mucronata (Pütier, 1900)
* Dendronephthya multispinosa Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya mutabilis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya natalensis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya nicobarensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya nigrescens Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya nigripes Nutting, 1912
* Dendronephthya nigrotincta Ridley, 1887
* Dendronephthya nipponica Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya noumeensis Verseveldt, 1974
* Dendronephthya novaezeelandiae Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya obtusa Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya ochracea Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya orientalis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya ovata Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya oviformis Nutting, 1912
* Dendronephthya padavensis Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya palaoensis Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya pallida Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya palmata Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya parvula Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya pectinata Holm, 1895
* Dendronephthya pectinata Song, 1976
* Dendronephthya pellucida Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya pentagona Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya perezi Cordeiro & van Ofwegen, 2018
* Dendronephthya persica Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya pharonis Thomson & Macqueen, 1911
* Dendronephthya planoregularis Burchardt, 1898
* Dendronephthya puetteri Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya pulchella Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya pulchra Thomson & Henderson, 1905
* Dendronephthya pumilio Studer, 1888
* Dendronephthya punctata Kükenthal, 1906
* Dendronephthya punicea Studer, 1888
* Dendronephthya purpurea Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya pustulosa Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya pyriformis Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
* Dendronephthya quadrata Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya querciformis Kükenthal, 1906
* Dendronephthya radiata Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya ramulosa Gray, 1862
* Dendronephthya regia Verseveldt, 1968
* Dendronephthya repens Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya reticulata Thomson & Dean, 1931
* Dendronephthya revelata Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya rigida Studer, 1888
* Dendronephthya robusta Kükenthal, 1895
* Dendronephthya roemeri Kükenthal, 1911
* Dendronephthya rosamondae Boone, 1938
* Dendronephthya rosea Kükenthal, 1895
* Dendronephthya rubeola Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya rubescens Harrison, 1908
* Dendronephthya rubescens Thomson & Dean, 1931
* Dendronephthya rubra May, 1899
* Dendronephthya savignyi Ehrenberg, 1843
* Dendronephthya semperi Studer, 1888
* Dendronephthya simplex Sherriffs, 1922
* Dendronephthya sinaiensis Verseveldt, 1971
* Dendronephthya sinensis Pütter, 1900
* Dendronephthya snelliusi Verseveldt, 1966
* Dendronephthya speciosa Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya spinifera (Holm, 1895)
* Dendronephthya spinosa Gray, 1862
* Dendronephthya spinulosa Gray, 1862
* Dendronephthya spissa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
* Dendronephthya spongiosa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
* Dendronephthya staphyloidea Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
* Dendronephthya stockci Verseveldt, 1968
* Dendronephthya stolonifera May, 1899
* Dendronephthya studeri Ridley, 1884
* Dendronephthya suensoni Holm, 1895
* Dendronephthya suesiana Thomson & Macqueen, 1907
* Dendronephthya suluensis Verseveldt, 1966
* Dendronephthya surugaensis Imahara, 1977
* Dendronephthya tabaensis Verseveldt & Cohen, 1971
* Dendronephthya tenera Holm, 1895
* Dendronephthya tenuis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
* Dendronephthya thomsoni Harrison, 1908
* Dendronephthya thuja Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya tixierae d'Hondt, 1977
* Dendronephthya translucens Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya tripartita Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya tuberculata Utinomi, 1952
* Dendronephthya uliginosa Thomson & Henderson, 1906
* Dendronephthya umbellata Wright & Studer, 1889
* Dendronephthya utinomii Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
* Dendronephthya variata Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya varicolor Henderson, 1909
* Dendronephthya vervoorti Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
* Dendronephthya villosa Kükenthal, 1905
* Dendronephthya waitei Thomson & Mackinnon, 1911
* Dendronephthya weberi Verseveldt, 1966
* Dendronephthya wijsmanae Verseveldt, 1974
* Dendronephthya yamamotoi Utinomi, 1954
* Dendronephthya zanzibarensis Thomson & Henderson, 1906