Stephanophyllia fungulus Alcock, 1902

Filander, Zoleka N., Kitahara, Marcelo V., Cairns, Stephen D., Sink, Kerry J. & Lombard, Amanda T., 2021, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from South Africa, ZooKeys 1066, pp. 1-198 : 1

Stephanophyllia fungulus Alcock, 1902

Fig. 14G, H

Stephanophyllia complicata . - Alcock 1902a: 40 (in part: 1 of 3 specimens from ‘Siboga’ 59). -Moseley 1876.

Stephanophyllia fungulus Alcock, 1902b: 122-123. - Alcock 1902c: 40, pl. 5, fig. 35A, B. - Gardiner and Waugh 1939: 234. -Pillia and Scheer 1976: 14. - Cairns 1989b: 21-23, pl. 10, figs A-K, pl. 11, figs A-B. - Cairns and Keller 1993: 231. -Cairns 1994: 41-42, pl. 16, figs A-D, F, G. - Kitahara and Cairns 2021: 70, 72, figs 21, 22A-H.

Micrabacia fungulus . -Vaughan and Wells 1943: 312, pl. 20, fig. 1A, B.

Type locality.

Sulu Archipelago (HMS ‘Siboga’ stn. 100: 6°11'00"N, 120°37.5'00"E); 450 m ( Alcock 1902b; Cairns 1989).

Type material.

Five syntypes are deposited at the ZMA ( Cairns 1989a; Cairns and Zibrowius 1997).

Material examined.

SAMC_A073050 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 26 km from Cape Vidal/ 25 km off St Lucia Estuary, 27°54'18.00"S, 32°37'59.87"E; 105 m. SAMC_A073106 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 66 km from Cape Vidal/ 7 km off Mgobezeleni Estuary, 27°33'11.88"S, 32°43'00.12"E; 140 m. SAMC_A073139 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 35 km from Cape Vidal/ 32 km off St Lucia Estuary, 27°49'41.87"S, 32°38'12.11"E; 54 m.

Description.

Corallum discoidal (GCD:H = 2.6-2.9), robust, and bearing a flat to slightly concave or convex base. Largest specimen examined (SAMC_A073106) 12.9 mm in CD and 4.5 mm in H. Calice circular, with finely serrated calicular margin. Costae equidistant with rounded edges. Costal bifurcation alternates with septal pattern. Intercostal spaces porous, narrow near base epicentre but broadens towards calicular edge. Synapticular bars connect two costae to common septum between them. No marginal shelf. Corallum white to creamy.

Septa arranged in typical micrabaciid fashion and total ≤ 96 septa. S1-2 non-bifurcate and straight, with subsequent S3 leading to multiple bifurcations. S1 extend to columella. S2 also extend to columella, but joined by S3 near columella. At the fusing point between S2-3 a delta with numerous spines is formed. S3 bifurcates repeatedly. First bifurcation produces two S3i on either side of S2. Resultant edges of S3i adjacent to S2 bifurcates three more times in which first branching gives S3ii, second one S3iii, and last gives two S3iv. S3i adjacent to S1 bifurcates twice, in which first gives one S3ii, and two S3iii. Septa perforate at near base and at points of bifurcation. All septal margins straight. Septal faces bear granules shaped as small triangular spines. Columella lenticular and aligned with two S1.

Distribution.

Regional: Eastern margin of South Africa, off Cape Vidal; 54-150 m. Elsewhere: Off south-eastern Mozambique; Chagos Archipelago ( Gardiner and Waugh 1939); Maldives (Pillar and Scheer 1976); Philippines; Indonesia ( Cairns 1989a; Cairns and Zibrowius 1997); 15-635 m.

Remarks.

Stephanophyllia fungulus is one of the four known species in the genus and was first reported in the region by Cairns (1989a), who detailed the morphological differences among them.

Figures

Figure 14. A, B. Letepsammia formosissima (SAM _ H 1429, off Kidds Beach, 79 m) A calicular view B basal view C, D Letepsammia franki (SAMC _ A 090070, off Durban, 95 m) C calicular view D basal view E, F Rhombopsammia niphada (SAM _ H 1390, off Port Alfred, 90 m) E calicular view F basal view G, H Stephanophyllia fungulus (SAMC _ A 073106, Cape Vidal, 140 m) G calicular view H basal view I Madrepora oculata (SAM _ H 3038, off St Lucia, 825 m) full view J, L Culicia sp. cf. Culicia australiensis (SAMC _ A 073032, off Shaka's Rock, 50 m) J calicular view K full view L septa details M, N Culicia excavata. M (UCTES _ DBN 85 H, off Ispongo, depth unknown): full view N (BMNH 1840.09.30.19, Cape of Good Hope, depth unknown): Calicular view O, P Stenocyathus vermiformis (SAM _ H 3213, off Cintsa, 630 m) O calicular view P lateral view Scale bars: 10 mm (A-H, J-N); 100 mm (I); 2 mm (O, P).