Litophyton fusum, Van, 2020
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4764.1.1 |
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publication LSID |
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:53C5289A-156C-4AF1-B84A-73099A332C05 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3803582 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BCB717-2349-FFB9-FF35-8399FB64FC7B |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Litophyton fusum |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Litophyton fusum View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figs. 85c View FIGURE 85 , 89a View FIGURE 89 , 90-91 View FIGURE 90 View FIGURE 91 )
Material examined. Holotype NTM C4366 , Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, John Brewer reef, depth 10-13 m, 7 February 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen ; paratype; NTM C4075, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Rib reef, depth 5-11 m, 27 May 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen.
Description. The holotype is 8 cm high and 11 cm wide, the stalk is very short, almost immediately above the base the colony divides in two stems baring the branches ( Fig. 89a View FIGURE 89 ). The polyps are up to 0.8 mm wide and high, they are grouped in long catkins.
Polyps. With irregular arrangement of sclerites in eight points ( Fig. 85c View FIGURE 85 ). Abaxially and lateral point sclerites are spindles with simple tubercles and spines, abaxially up to 0.50 mm long, laterally up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 90a View FIGURE 90 ). Adaxially there are small, curved rods and scales, up to 0.10 mm long, similar to those of the tentacles ( Fig. 90b View FIGURE 90 ). The polyp stalk has straight rods, up to 0.15 mm long ( Fig. 90c View FIGURE 90 ). Supporting bundle not projecting or slightly so, composed of spindles, up to 1.50 mm long, with simple tubercles and one spiny end ( Fig. 90d View FIGURE 90 ).
Surface layer top stalk. Spindles, and unilaterally spinose spindles, up to 1.50 mm long, mostly with complex tubercles ( Fig. 90 View FIGURE 90 e-f).
Surface layer base stalk. A few capstans and derivatives of capstans (not depicted) but mostly spindles and unilaterally spinose spindles, all with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 90g View FIGURE 90 , 91 View FIGURE 91 a-b). Capstans 0.10-0.20 mm long; spindles up to about 1.50 mm long.
Interior stalk. Spindles, up to 2 mm long, with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 91e View FIGURE 91 ), with pointed ends; many with side branches ( Fig. 91 View FIGURE 91 c-d).
Etymology. The Latin fuses, spool, spindle, refers to the many spindles in the surface layer of the base of the stalk.
Distribution. Great Barrier Reef: John Brewer reef, Rib reef.
Remarks. The paratype has also big interior stalk spindles, but they have no side branches, apparently the base of the stalk is missing.
The species resembles L. snakeensis sp. nov. regarding the many spindles in the surface layer of the base of the stalk, but that species has many scales in the polyps. It resembles L. brachiatum sp. nov. regarding the interior stalk spindles with side branches and the polyp sclerites, but differs from that species in having only a few radiates and derivatives of radiates in the surface layer of the stalk, and no unilaterally spinose spheroids at all.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.