Gorgonin

Gorgon, also called Pennatulin, is a horn -like scleroprotein with low sulfur content. It is similar to the organic skeletal substance of black corals ( Antipatharia ). It is excreted by certain groups of Octocorallia in order to establish or stabilize the skeleton.

Gorgon as part of the skeleton

Some Octocorallia have only the free calcareous sclerites in Coenenchym nor axial structures they generally produce one of the following two ways.

In species of the suborder Scleraxonia sclerites are united by Gorgon and / or calcium deposits in various steps and form a medulla.

For other taxa of the suborder Holaxonia the axis consists of a horny central rod ( Gorgon ), which is often calcified and sometimes detaches in calcareous sections. The former process produces a vital internal structure ( it is a product of cells of the Coenenchyms ), which is often heavily penetrated by thin channels, which are called Solenia. With the second method, a similar, but not identical, structure is generated which is deposited outside the Coenenchyms and never penetrated by Solenia.

A family that Keroeididae, contains species with an axis, has the characteristics of both these methods of skeletal formation. The types are in the center of a protein-containing ( holaxonale ) medulla. The medulla is embedded by sclerites, which are embedded in a Gorgoninschicht according to the scleraxonalen method.