Candidella gigantea ( Wright & Studer, 1889 )

Cairns, Stephen D., 2018, Primnoidae (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Calcaxonia) of the Okeanos Explorer expeditions (CAPSTONE) to the central Pacific, Zootaxa 4532 (1), pp. 1-43 : 18

Candidella gigantea ( Wright & Studer, 1889)

Fig. 1H

Stenella gigantea Wright & Studer, 1889: 57 .

Candidella gigantea: Cairns & Bayer, 2004b:477 .—Cairns, 2009: 443–445, figs. 1B, 21–22 (complete synonymy).

Types and Type Locality. The holotype is deposited at the BM (1889.5.27.36). Type Locality: 19˚10’S, 178˚10”E ( Fiji Plateau), 384–1115 m.

Material Examined. EX 1603-7, 26.431˚N, 177.806˚W (south of Midway Island), 1837 m, 11 March 2016, image only; EX 1605-L3-19, 19.804˚N, 148.444˚E ( northern Mariana Islands), 1943 m, 5 July 2016, image only; EX 1606-1, 16.853˚N, 154.06˚E ( northern Mariana Islands), 2205 m, 30 July 2016, image only; EX 1606-6, 19.447˚N, 165.80˚E (south of Wake Island), 2211– 2157 m, 6 August 2016, image only; EX 1606-7, 17.3097˚N, 165.9601˚E (Unnamed Seamount, northwest of Wake Island), 2087 m, 8 August 2016, image only.

Remarks. This species was adequately described and figured by Cairns (2009) and is known only from images (no collected specimens) in this report, and thus will not be fully redescribed or figured herein.

Distribution. Northwest Hawaiian Islands, south of Wake Island, northern Mariana Islands, Fiji Plateau, 1115– 2211 m. Previously reported depth ranges that included 384 m were based on the depth range of the type locality, which cannot be used for a definitive depth range. If a more conservative “confirmed” depth range is used (i.e., the shallowest deep to the deepest shallow component of a trawl having a range) then the depth range for the species results in 1115–2211 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. In situ images of various species: A, Callogorgia cracentis, holotype. B, Calyptrophora lyra, holotype (not in situ). C, C. diaphana, EX1606-9-1. D, C. carinata, holotype. E, C. clarki, EX1605-L3-6. F, C. pourtalesi, holotype. G, C. distolos, holotype. H, Candidella gigantea, EX1606-6. I, Macroprimnoa ornata, holotype. J, Narella virgosa, holotype. K-L, N. aurantiaca, holotype. M, N. merga, holotype. N, N. horrida, EX1703-2-3. O, N. fordi, holotype. P, N. calamus, holotype. Q, N. virgosa, paratype, EX1504-L4-9-4. R, N. macrocalyx, EX1606-7. S, N. hawaiiensis, EX1504-9-2. T, Paracalyotrophora hawaiiensis, EX1703-2-1. U, P. echinata, EX1703-10-1. V, P. spiralis, holotype. W, Plumarella circumoperculum, EX1603-2-3. X, Thouarella hilgendorfi, EX1605-L1-17.