{{Short description|Family of corals}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Heteroxenia fuscescens pulsating xenid 2.JPG | image_caption = ''Heteroxenia fuscescens'' | taxon = Xeniidae | authority = Ehrenberg, 1828 }}

'''Xeniidae''' is a family of soft coral in the order Malacalcyonacea.<ref name=WoRMS> {{cite taxon|WoRMS|title=Malacalcyonacea |id=1609357 |db=octocorallia|access-date=6 September 2025}} </ref>

== Predators == Predatory sea slugs of the genus ''Phyllodesmium'' are reported to feed on Xeniidae species. Representatives of this family have been observed to provide shelter to juvenile fish.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Bos, Arthur R |year=2016 |title=Soft corals provide microhabitat for camouflaged juveniles of the Blackspotted wrasse ''Macropharyngodon meleagris'' (Labridae) |journal=Marine Biodiversity |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=299–301 |doi= 10.1007/s12526-015-0332x|doi-broken-date=1 July 2025 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272417078}}</ref>

== List of genera == The family contains the following genera:<ref name=WoRMS-fam> {{cite taxon|WoRMS|title=Xeniidae Ehrenberg, 1828 |id=125271 |db=octocorallia|access-date=6 September 2025}} </ref> {{Linked genus list | ''Anthelia (coral) {{!}} Anthelia'' | Lamarck, 1816 | Asterospicularia | Utinomi, 1951 | Bayerxenia | Alderslade, 2001 | Caementabunda | Benayahu, van Ofwegen & McFadden, 2018 | Conglomeratusclera | Benayahu, van Ofwegen & McFadden, 2018 | Ezziona | Alderslade & Janes, 2017 | Fasciclia | Janes, 2008 | Funginus | Tixier-Durivault, 1978 | Heteroxenia | Kölliker, 1874 | Ingotia | Alderslade, 2001 | Latissimia | Benayahu, Ekins & McFadden, 2022 | Orangaslia | Alderslade, 2001 | Ovabunda | Alderslade, 2001 | Protodendron | Thomson & Dean, 1931 | Quattuoria | Benayahu & McFadden, 2022 | Sansibia | Alderslade, 2000 | Sarcothelia | Verrill, 1928 | ''Sympodium (coral) {{!}} Sympodium'' | Ehrenberg, 1834 | ''Unomia (coral) {{!}} Unomia'' | Benayahu, van Ofwegen, Allais & McFadden, 2021 | ''Xenia (coral) {{!}} Xenia'' | Lamarck, 1816 | Yamazatum | Benayahu, 2010 }}

{{clr}} <gallery style="text-align:center;" mode="packed"> Image:Anthelia glauca.jpg|''Anthelia glauca'' Image:Reef4030 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg|''Cespitularia sp.'' Image:Pulsating xenid, Heteroxenia fuscescens, a soft coral that pulsates rhythmically around 40 times a minute (6163181047).jpg|''Heteroxenia fuscescens'' Image:A-new-species-of-Ovabunda-(Octocorallia-Xeniidae)-from-the-Andaman-Sea-Thailand-with-notes-on-the-zookeys-431-001-g001.jpg|''Ovabunda andamanensis'' Image:Xenia umbellata.jpg|''Xenia umbellata'' </gallery>

<gallery style="text-align:center;" mode="packed"> Image:Phyllodesmium crypticum.jpg|This nudibranch (''Phyllodesmium crypticum'') mimics Xeniid corals it feeds on Image:Phyllodesmium rudmani.jpg|Cerates of a ''Phyllodesmium rudmani'' </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Wikispecies-inline}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2597932}}

Category:Xeniidae Category:Alcyoniina Category:Cnidaria families Category:Taxa named by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg

{{Octocorallia-stub}}