Wikipedia
The Xeniidae are a family of soft coral in the order Alcyonacea. Predatory sea slugs of the genus Phyllodesmium are reported to feed on Xeniidae species. Representatives of this family have been observed to provide shelter to juvenile fish. The family contains the following genera:
- Anthelia Lamarck, 1816
- Asterospicularia Utinomi, 1951
- Bayerxenia Alderslade, 2001
- Ceratocaulon Jungersen, 1892
- Cespitularia Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1850
- Efflatounaria Gohar, 1939
- Fasciclia Janes, 2008
- Funginus Tixier-Durivault, 1987
- Heteroxenia Koelliker, 1874
- Ingotia Alderslade, 2001
- Ixion Alderslade, 2001* [genus name "Ixion" is preoccupied by Reitter, 1873]
- Orangaslia Alderslade, 2001
- Ovabunda Alderslade, 2001
- Sansibia Alderslade, 2000
- Sarcothelia Verrill, 1928
- Sympodium Ehrenberg, 1834
- Xenia Lamarck, 1816
Image:Anthelia glauca.jpg| Anthelia glauca Image:Reef4030 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg| Cespitularia sp. Image:Pulsating xenid, Heteroxenia fuscescens, a soft coral that pulsates rhythmically around 40 times a minute (6163181047).jpg| Heteroxenia fuscescens Image:A-new-species-of-Ovabunda-(Octocorallia-Xeniidae)-from-the-Andaman-Sea-Thailand-with-notes-on-the-zookeys-431-001-g001.jpg| Ovabunda andamanensis Image:Xenia umbellata.jpg| Xenia umbellata
Image:Phyllodesmium crypticum.jpg|This nudibranch ( Phyllodesmium crypticum) mimics Xeniid corals it feeds on Image:Phyllodesmium rudmani.jpg|Cerates of a Phyllodesmium rudmani