Stephanocyathus (Stephanocyathus) paliferus Cairns, 1977

Reyes, Javier, Santodomingo, Nadiezhda & Cairns, Stephen, 2009, Caryophylliidae (Scleractinia) from the Colombian Caribbean, Zootaxa 2262 (1), pp. 1-39 : 18

Stephanocyathus (Stephanocyathus) paliferus Cairns, 1977

Figs. 3K–L

Stephanocyathus elegans Pourtalès, 1880: 103 (not C. elegans Seguenza, 1864 ).

Stephanocyathus nobilis Erhardt, 1976: 59–61 , pl. 1, figs. 1–2.

Stephanocyathus (S.) paliferus Cairns, 1977a: 731–735 , figs. 4–7; 1978a: 11 (listed); 1979: 105–107, pl. 19, figs. 7–9, 11.—Lattig, 2000: 129–130, fig. 70.— Kitahara, 2007: 502–503, fig. 3H.— Santodomingo et al., 2007: 286 (listed).

Remarks: The specimens examined have a mean of 24 mm in GCD, almost half of holotype size, but the septa are completely developed. Some specimens were found settled on dead Deltocyathus calcar . Moreover, one specimen collected off Gulf of Morrosquillo at 270 m depth shows reproduction by polyp rejuvenescence, with the parental corallite still attached and being 1/ 4 in CD of the budding coralla.

Distribution: Tropical western Atlantic, from off Florida to off the Amazon River delta; 229–715 m depth ( Cairns 1979). S. paliferus is one of the most abundant azooxanthellate coral species with a wide distribution along the Colombian Caribbean, from La Guajira Peninsula to the Gulf of Uraba; 270–634 m depth.

Material: USNM 46447 , 1 specimen , P-394; USNM 49086 , 4 specimens , O-11290; USNM 49069 , O- 4907; USNM 80225 , O-5692; USNM 100665 , 1 specimen , E78; INV CNI387 , 1 specimen , E10; INV CNI388 , 1 specimen , E54; INV CNI389 , 1 specimen , E55; INV CNI390 , 3 specimens , E64; INV CNI391 , 2 specimens , E64; INV CNI392 , 3 specimens , E67; INV CNI393 , 1 specimen , E68; INV CNI394 , 2 specimens , E78; INV CNI689 , 7 specimens , E153; INV CNI690 , 1 specimen , E153.

Figures

FIGURE 3. A, Cladocora arbuscula, INV CNI215, off Santa Marta (Cinto Bay), colony, x 1.5; B, Polycyathus mayae, INV CNI797, off San Bernardo Islands, oblique lateral view, x 10; C–D, Deltocyathus calcar, D17 MARCORAL, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and basal views, both x 4.4; E–F, Deltocyathus sp. cf. D. italicus, INV CNI711, off Cartagena, lateral and calicular views, both x 3; G–H, Deltocyathus eccentricus, INV CNI721, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and lateral views, both x 4.2; I–J, Stephanocyathus (S.) diadema, INV CNI329, off Gulf of Uraba, calicular and basal views, both x 0.7; K–L, Stephanocyathus (S.) paliferus, INV CNI388, off Barranquilla, calicular and basal views, both x 1; M–N, Stephanocyathus (O.) coronatus INV CNI324, Venezuela, Cariaco Basin, calicular and lateral views, both x 1; O–P, Stephanocyathus (S.) isabellae INV CNI694, holotype, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and basal views, both x 2.6; Q–R, Stephanocyathus (S.) isabellae, INV CNI2076, paratype, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and basal views, both x 2.7; S, Thalamophyllia riisei, INV CNI676, off San Bernardo Islands, branching pattern, x 1.4; T, Eusmilia fastigiata; colony from calicular view, x 0.9. Scale bars for A, I–T = 1 cm; C–H = 5 mm; B = 1 mm.