Telestacea
Quick Summary
The Telestacea are a small order of alcyonarian coelenterates, sometimes grouped within the Alcyonacea. These marine invertebrates form colonies where long axial polyps have smaller lateral polyps branching off. Their skeletons are composed of fused spicules and a horny material.1
Telestacea belong to the phylum Cnidaria, which includes animals with radial symmetry and stinging cells. Within Cnidaria, they are classified under the class Anthozoa, subclass Alcyonaria (soft corals), and then the order Telestacea. They are found in tropical waters.21
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
