Knowledge on Azorean octocorals is still dispersed in several taxonomical papers and monographs. Moreover it is hard to find and written in different languages representing a challenge for zoological nomenclature and taxonomic studies. Taxonomic literature about octocorals (orders Alcyonacea and Pennatulacea) inhabiting the Azores marine waters was compiled from the 19th century onwards. Papers and monographs were analysed in order to calculate the taxonomic effort applied to different ranks of Octocorallia in the region. Moreover, the number of species given to the Azores was presented within each family, suborder and order of Octocorallia. The dataset compiles literature references and species richness distributed within Octocorallia ranks. Both are essential for future taxonomical, ecological, molecular and conservation studies about Azorean Cold-water octocorals.
Supplement to: Sampaio, Íris; Freiwald, André; Porteiro, Filipe; Menezes, Gui M; Carreiro-Silva, Marina (2019): Census of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of the Azores (NE Atlantic) with a nomenclature update. Zootaxa, 4550(4), 451