Sandalolitha boucheti, Hoeksema, 2012

Hoeksema, Bert W., 2012, Mushroom corals (Scleractinia, Fungiidae) of Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu, West Pacific), with the description of a new species, Zoosystema 34 (2), pp. 429-443 : 436-437

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5252/z2012n2a14
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5172419
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B587AC-FFD0-FFCC-D0C8-FA77FB18D5A9
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Sandalolitha boucheti
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sandalolitha boucheti View in CoL n. sp.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: SANTO 2006 , stn FR8, Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, SE coast, E Aoré Island , S Aïmbuéi Bay, 15°19’50,8’’S, 167°07’18,5’’E, depth 4 m., 14.IX.2006, B. W. Hoeksema ( RMNH Coel. 40125; Fig. 11 View FIG ). GoogleMaps

Paratype: SANTO 2006 , stn FR20, Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, SE coast, E Aoré Island , S Aïmbuéi Bay, 15°19’53,4’’S, 167°07’26,5’’E, depth 8 m, 19.IX.2006, B. W. Hoeksema ( RMNH Coel. 40126; Fig. 12 View FIG ) GoogleMaps .

OTHER MATERIAL. — Malaysia, eastern Sabah, Semporna area, Ligitan Reef 1, South , Yoshi Point , 4°14’05.8’’N, 118°33’26.7’’E, depth 15 m, 1.XII.2010, B. W.Hoeksema, ( RMNH Coel. 39964; Figs 13 View FIG ; 14 View FIG ) GoogleMaps .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. — Sandalolitha boucheti n. sp. is so far only known from Vanuatu (West Pacific) and northeastern Borneo (Sulawesi Sea).

ETYMOLOGY. — Named after Prof. Philippe Bouchet, leader of the marine component of the SANTO 2006 expedition.

DIAGNOSIS. — Corals relatively smaller than congeners with septa that are finer densely packed and nearly of similar height, and with fine dentations (Table 2).

DESCRIPTION

Adult animals free-living. Polyps polystomatous by circumstomadaeal budding over the whole upper coral surface. Outline of corals varying from irregularly circular to oval. Corals varying from highly arched to slightly cup-shaped with a concave upper surface; length range: 8.0- 13.5 cm. Septa densely packed and straight, except around stomata, where they bend. Lower order septa thicker and more protruding than those of higher orders.Septa in small corals and higher order septa in larger corals fenestrate. Tentacular lobes absent. Septal margins finely ornamented with irregular serrate dentations, varying from 15 to 30 per cm ( Fig. 11B View FIG ). Septal sides covered by unevenly distributed coarse granulations.Compound synapticulae connecting the septa laterally not easily distinguishable because of the tight septal arrangement. Stomata more or less evenly distributed over the coral surface. Columellae poorly developed, consisting of rudimentary trabeculae. Corallum wall perforated, covered by granulations and without fragmentation clefts. Large detachment scar (diameter 1.0- 2.8 cm) distinct ( Fig. 13C View FIG ). Costae unequal in thickness and height, straight and distinct near the corallum margin, but less distinct near the centre; coarsely ornamented with echinous spines, varying from 15 to 30 per cm ( Fig. 11C View FIG ). Living animal light brown ( Fig. 14 View FIG ). Small tentacles colourless and translucent.

REMARKS

Morphologically S.boucheti n.sp. shares some characters with either one of the other two Sandalolitha species , S. robusta and S. dentata (Table 2). With regard to stomata distribution,it resembles S.robusta by showing more or less evenly distributed stomata over the upper surface,while S.dentata has most stomata concentrated at the centre. With S. dentata it shares serrate septal dentations, while those of S. robusta are more lobate. Both type specimens show an oval shape, which is also common in S. dentata . However, compared to both other Sandalolitha species , it has finer septal and costal ornamentations and thinner septa and costae, which appear to be more densely arranged than in the other two species. S. boucheti n. sp. also differs from the other two species by being light brown in colour and from S. dentata in particular by lacking patches of green (see Hoeksema & Van Ofwegen 2004). S. dentata was not recorded at Vanuatu ( Table 1).