A new gorgonian sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Gorgoniidae) from the Nanji Islands, China.

Members of the genus Kükenthal, 1919 are widely distributed in shallow water of the Indo-West Pacific. During an investigation of benthic biodiversity in the subtidal zone surrounding the Nanji Islands in the East China Sea, two specimens of were collected and described as a new species based on an integrated morphological-molecular approach. is most similar to Williams & Vennam, 2001 in the irregular branching form and indistinct scaphoids, but differs by the coenenchymal sclerite content of distinct capstans and a few warty spindles and radiates (vs. mostly warty spindles and a few capstans), and a purplish colony (vs. white, pink to deep rose). Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on the mtMutS-COI gene sequences, delineated a monophyletic clade encompassing all assessed species. Within this clade, showed a close phylogenetic affinity with both and Ridley, 1884.