New and redescribed species of Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 (Anthozoa: Alcyonacea)

Four new species of Alcyonium are described and figured: Alcyonium compactofestucum from the east coast of South Africa, A. rudyi from the west coast of the United States, A. senegalense from Senegal and A. spitzbergense from Spitzbeigen. A. antarcticum Wright & Studer, 1889, A. gruveli TixierDurivault, 1955, A. monodi Tixier-Durivault, 1955, A. patagonicum (May, 1899) and A. sollasi Wright & Studer, 1889, are redescribed and figured. A. paessleri May, 1899, is synonymized with A. antarcticum Wright & Studer, 1889.