Gorgoniacea

/ɡɔːɡoʊniˈeɪsiə/ noun

Definition

A family of corals that includes branching sea fans and gorgonians, named for their Gorgon-like appearance.

Etymology

From 'gorgonia' + '-cea' (a Latin family suffix used in taxonomy). The '-cea' ending marks it as a biological family classification.

Kelly Says

When biologists name organism families, they often use Latin endings—Gorgoniacea shows how creatures in the ocean got names inspired by ancient Greek monsters!

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