Melithaea ochracea | |
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Knotted fan coral at Pulau Tioman, West Malaysia | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Octocorallia |
Order: | Alcyonacea |
Family: | Melithaeidae |
Genus: | Melithaea |
Species: | M. ochracea
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Binomial name | |
Melithaea ochracea |
Melithaea ochracea is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Melithaeidae, commonly known as knotted fan coral. It grows in tree-like fans on coral reefs in the South China Sea. It is used in the jewellery industry under the name red spongy coral.