Litophyton pandoraensis, 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.10465892 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BCB717-2369-FF99-FF35-821DFDAEFC5F |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Litophyton pandoraensis |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Litophyton pandoraensis View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figs. 60 View FIGURE 60 c-d, 61c, 67-68)
Material examined. Holotype NTM C4053 , Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Pandora reef, depth 1-5 m, 28 May
1981, coll. Z. Dinesen; paratypes: NTM C3945, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Pandora reef, depth 5-9 m, 28 May 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen; NTM C3970, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Pandora reef, depth 1-4 m, 28 May 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen; NTM C4070, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Davies reef, depth 15-21 m, 15 April 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen.
Description. The NTM C4053 holotype is 8 cm high and 7.5 cm wide ( Fig. 60c View FIGURE 60 ). The stalk is 2.5 cm long. The polyps are up to 0.6 mm wide and 0.5 mm high, grouped in long catkins.
Polyps. With irregular arrangement of sclerites in eight points ( Fig. 61c View FIGURE 61 ). Abaxial point sclerites are spindles with simple tubercles and spines, largest spindles up to 0.50 mm long ( Fig. 67a View FIGURE 67 ). Laterally and adaxially the polyp sclerites are rods, up to 0.30 mm long, with small prickles on their surface ( Fig. 67b View FIGURE 67 ). The tentacles have scales and rods up to 0.10 mm long ( Fig. 67c View FIGURE 67 ). Spindles of the supporting bundle are up to 0.75 mm long, with simple tubercles and spines, more numerous at one end; spindles not projecting beyond the polyp ( Fig. 67d View FIGURE 67 ).
Surface layer top stalk. Spindles and unilaterally spinose spindles, up to 0.5 mm long, with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 67e View FIGURE 67 ).
Surface layer base stalk. Capstans, derivatives of capstans, spindles, and unilaterally spinose spindles ( Fig. 67f View FIGURE 67 ). Capstans 0.10-0.20 mm long; spindles up to about 0.35 mm long. Sclerites with simple and complex tubercles.
Interior stalk. Spindles, up to 1 mm long, with pointed ends ( Fig. 67g View FIGURE 67 ) and complex tubercles ( Fig. 67i View FIGURE 67 ). The smaller ones are often branched (fig. 67h).
Etymology. Named after the type locality.
Distribution. Great Barrier Reef: Pandora reef, Davies reef.
Remarks. NTM C3945 ( Fig. 60d View FIGURE 60 ) does not show the point spindles lacking tuberculation. It also lacks the radiates and derivatives of radiates of the surface layer of the base of the stalk ( Fig. 68 View FIGURE 68 ). Probably the very base of the colony is missing.
The species mostly resembles specimens of L. oxleyensis sp. nov. lacking scales (see remarks after key) but differs in lacking interior spindles with blunt ends.
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.