Stichopathes Brook, 1889

Wagner, Daniel & Shuler, Andrew, 2017, The black coral fauna (Cnidaria: Antipatharia) of Bermuda with new records, Zootaxa 4344 (2), pp. 367-379 : 371

Genus Stichopathes Brook, 1889

The genus Stichopathes is characterized by colonies that are unbranched, and polyps that are arranged in a single row on one side of the corallum ( Brook, 1889). However, the validity of polyp arrangement as the main diagnostic character distinguishing amongst Stichopathes and the two other antipatharian genera with unbranched colonies ( Cirrhipathes and Pseudocirrhipathes ) has been questioned by numerous authors ( Bo & Opresko, 2015; Bo et al., 2012; Bo, 2008; Brugler & France, 2007; Pasternak, 1977; Pax, 1918; van Pesch, 1914). Two Stichopathe s species have previously been reported from Bermuda ( S. lutkeni and S. cf. spiessi ; Locke et al. 2013). This study adds S. pourtalesi and an undescribed Stichopathe s species to the known antipatharian fauna from Bermuda ( Table 1).