【软珊瑚】
软珊瑚（学名：Alcyonacea），为八放珊瑚类中软珊瑚目的通称，属于非造礁珊瑚，不会产生碳酸钙骨架，但部分种类可以在基部形成骨针岩。共肉组织中含有钙质骨针，可支撑珊瑚体。软珊瑚一般生长在水流较急的海域，亦可在光照较弱的水深生长。大多有毒。
与石珊瑚不同，大多数软珊瑚在营养丰富光线较少的水域蓬勃生长。几乎所有品种利用共生光合作用作为一个主要的能源来源。但它们也能从水体中摄食自由漂浮的食物，如浮游动物等。它们是珊瑚礁生态系统的组成部分，为鱼、螺、藻类和其他多种海洋物种的提供栖息地。
== 解剖学 ==
== 特征 ==
== 生态 ==
==亚目与科==
根据世界海洋物种目录，本目物种尚可细分为下列各分类阶元与科：
* 软珊瑚亚目
** Acrophytidae科 McFadden & Ofwegen, 2017
** 软珊瑚科 Lamouroux, 1812
** Aquaumbra科 Breedy, van Ofwegen & Vargas, 2012
** Corymbophyton科 McFadden & Ofwegen, 2017
** Leptophytidae科 McFadden & Ofwegen, 2017
** Nephtheidae Gray, 1862
** Nidaliidae科 Gray, 1869
** Paralcyoniidae Gray, 1869
** Xeniidae Ehrenberg, 1828
* Calcaxonia
** Chrysogorgiidae Verrill, 1883
** Ellisellidae Gray, 1859
** Ifalukellidae Bayer, 1955
** 竹节柳珊瑚科 Lamouroux, 1812
** Primnoidae Milne Edwards, 1857
* Holaxonia
** Acanthogorgiidae Gray, 1859
** Dendrobrachiidae Brook, 1889
** Gorgoniidae Lamouroux, 1812
** Keroeididae Kinoshita, 1910
** Plexauridae Gray, 1859
* Taiaroa (coral)
** Taiaroa (coral) Bayer & Muzik, 1976
* Scleraxonia
** Anthothelidae Broch, 1916
** Briareidae Gray, 1859
** 红珊瑚科 Lamouroux, 1812
** Melithaeidae Gray, 1870
** Paragorgiidae Kükenthal, 1916
** Parisis (genus) Aurivillius, 1931
** Spongiodermidae Wright & Studer, 1889
** Subergorgiidae Gray, 1859
** Victorgorgia Moore, Alderslade & Miller, 2017
* Stolonifera
** Acrossota Bourne, 1914
** Arulidae McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2012
** Clavulariidae Hickson, 1894
** Coelogorgia Bourne, 1900
** Cornulariidae Dana, 1846
** Pseudogorgia Utinomi & Harada, 1973
** Tubipora Ehrenberg, 1828
* Acanthoaxis van Ofwegen & McFadden, 2010
* Haimeidae Wright, 1865
* Paramuriceidae科 Bayer, 1956
* Parasphaerasclera McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2013
* Viguieriotidae科
==图库==
Image:Alcyonium acaule Marion, 1878 3.jpg|Alcyonium acaule, an Alcyoniidae
Image:Dendronephthya hemprichi at Gilli Lawa Laut.JPG|Dendronephthya hemprichi, a Nephtheidae
Image:Siphonogorgia godeffroyi (Pink soft coral).jpg|Siphonogorgia godeffroyi, a Nidaliidae
Image:Maasella edwardsi (de Lacaze-Duthiers, 1888).jpg|Maasella edwardsi, a Paralcyoniidae
Image:Pulsating xenid, Heteroxenia fuscescens, a soft coral that pulsates rhythmically around 40 times a minute (6163181047).jpg|Heteroxenia fuscescens, a Xeniidae
Image:Iridigorgia sp.jpg|Iridigorgia sp., a Chrysogorgiidae
Image:Sea Whip (Ellisella sp.) (8486549324).jpg|Ellisella sp., an Ellisellidae
Image:Isidella tentaculum - NOAA.jpg|Isidella tentaculum, an Isididae
Image:Plumarella pellucida.jpg|Plumarella pellucida, a Primnoidae
Image:Pygmy Seahorse -Lembeh Straits.jpg|Muricellasp., an Acanthogorgiidae
Image:Gorgonia ventalina, Bahamas.jpg|Gorgonia ventalina, a Gorgoniidae
Image:Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) 5.jpg|Paramuricea clavata, a Paramuriceidae
Image:Muricea elongata.jpg|Muricea elongata, a Plexauridae
Image:Anthothela grandiflora.jpg|Anthothela grandiflora, an Anthothelidae
Image:Briareum 2.JPG|Briareum sp., a Briareidae
Image:Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) 11.jpg|红珊瑚, a Coralliidae
Image:Acabaria splendens.jpg|Acabaria splendens, a Melithaeidae
Image:Expl0924 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg|Paragorgia arborea, a Paragorgiidae
Image:Gorgone de Mayotte.jpg|Annella mollis, a Subergorgiidae
Image:Pachiclavularia viridis.JPG|Clavularia viridis, a Clavulariidae
Image:Cornularia cornucopiae.jpg|Cornularia cornucopiae, a Cornulariidae
Image:Tubipora purpurea-Musée zoologique de Strasbourg.jpg|笙珊瑚, a Tubiporidae
Image:Iciligorgia schrammi.jpg|Iciligorgia schrammi
==参考文献==
位于帕劳的软珊瑚，可清晰地看到珊瑚虫个体