Nidaliidae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of soft corals in the phylum

Cnidaria Cnidaria () is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in freshwater and marine environments, predominantly the latter. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that th ...

. Some members of this family are similar in appearance to gorgonians (sea fans). They are difficult to keep in the

reef aquarium A reef aquarium or reef tank is a marine aquarium that prominently displays live corals and other marine invertebrates as well as fish that play a role in maintaining the tropical coral reef environment. A reef aquarium requires appropriately ...

because they do not contain

symbiotic Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...

zooxanthellae Zooxanthellae is a colloquial term for single-celled dinoflagellates that are able to live in symbiosis with diverse marine invertebrates including demosponges, corals, jellyfish, and nudibranchs. Most known zooxanthellae are in the genus ''Sy ...

and therefore need to be fed on

zooplankton Zooplankton are the animal component of the planktonic community ("zoo" comes from the Greek word for ''animal''). Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents, and consequently drift or are carried along by ...

. Others, in the genera ''Agaricoidea'', ''Nidalla'' and ''Pieterfaurea'', more resemble members of the family Nephtheidae and these are somewhat easier to keep in the aquarium.The Soft Corals, Order Alcyonacea; Use In Reef Aquariums
Wet Web Media. Retrieved 2014-02-11.

Genera

The World Register of Marine Species includes the following

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

in the family: *'' Agaricoides'' Simpson, 1905 *'' Chironephthya'' Studer, 1887 *'' Nephthyigorgia'' Kükenthal, 1910 *'' Nidalia'' Gray, 1834 *'' Nidaliopsis'' Kükenthal, 1906 *'' Orlikia'' Malyutin, 1993 *'' Siphonogorgia'' Kölliker, 1874

References

Cnidarian families Taxa named by John Edward Gray Alcyoniina {{Octocorallia-stub