Abstract
The Southwestern Atlantic (SWA) hosts one of the most poorly known octocoral faunas (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia) in the world. In deep sea (>50 m), where more than 75% of those species occur, that group is the main builder of coral gardens. These habitats host the highest diversities of metazoans in continental shelves and slopes. However, due to the paucity of studies, most part of…