Coenocyathus parvulus ( Cairns, 1979 )

Reyes, Javier, Santodomingo, Nadiezhda & Cairns, Stephen, 2009, Caryophylliidae (Scleractinia) from the Colombian Caribbean, Zootaxa 2262 (1), pp. 1-39 : 8-9

Coenocyathus parvulus ( Cairns, 1979)

Figs. 2H–I

Caryophyllia parvula Cairns, 1979: 62–63 , pl. 9, figs. 6–8, pl. 10, figs. 5–6, Map 12.— Rezak et al., 1985: 225 (listed: stn. 120, Sidner Bank; stn. 118, Diaphus Bank, LA, 120 m).— Cairns et al., 1994: 6.

Coenocyathus parvulus Cairns, 2000: 75–76 (new combination).— Reyes et al., 2005: 324 (listed).— Kitahara, 2007: 500–501, fig. 3A.— Santodomingo et al., 2007: 286 (listed).

Remarks: In contrast to the specimens described by Cairns (1979; 2000), which exhibit a colonial growth from a common basal coenosteum, all Colombian specimens are isolated corallites settled on carbonate substrates, such as limestone, bivalves or coral skeletons. Some of them exhibit brown-reddish pigmentation.

Distribution: Bahamas, off the northeastern coast of Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Brazil, but rare in the southern Caribbean; between 97 and 399 m depth ( Cairns 1979; 2000). In Colombia, it was found in La Guajira Peninsula (Dibulla) and San Bernardo Islands; from 21 to 160 m depth. These records extend the depth range for this species up to 21 m, as well as their geographical distribution up to the northern coast of South America. Specimens were compared with type material, USNM 46865 (holotype, 20º50'N, 73º34'W) and USNM 10094 (paratype, 23º11’N, 82º19’W).

Material: INV CNI670 , 21 specimens , E155; INV CNI671 , 5 specimens , E155; INV CNI672 , 6 specimens , E156; INV CNI673 , 14 specimens , E156; INV CNI674 , 1 specimen , E105; INV CNI2396 , 1 specimen , C1; INV CNI2397 , 3 specimens , C1; INV CNI2478 , 1 specimen , C3; INV CNI2503 , 29 specimens ,

D3; INV CNI2524 , 8 specimens , D12; INV CNI2752 , 1 specimen , D46; INV CNI2907 , 3 specimens , C3; INV CNI2932 , 7 specimens , C2.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A–B, Caryophyllia berteriana, INV CNI2553, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and lateral views, both x 1.5; C, Caryophyllia crypta, USNM 99187, Santa Marta, paratype, x 4; D–E, Caryophyllia barbadensis, INV CNI669, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and lateral views, both x 10; F–G, Caryophyllia ambrosia caribbeana, INV CNI364, off La Rada inlet, calicular and lateral views, both x 1.6; H–I, Coenocyathus parvulus, INV CNI671, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and lateral views, both x 10; J–K, Trochocyathus rawsonii, INV CNI681, off Gulf of Morrosquillo, calicular and lateral views, both x 3.2; L–M, Trochocyathus sp. cf. T. fasciatus, INV CNI379, off Santa Marta, calicular and lateral views, both x 4.6; N, Tethocyathus prahli, INV CNI905, off La Guajira (Punta Gallinas), calicular view x 2.7; O, T. prahli, INV CNI1514, off Chocó, Pacific Ocean, calicular view x 2.7; P–Q, Tethocyathus variabilis, INV CNI2404, off San Bernardo Islands, calicular and lateral views, both x 4; R–S, Paracyathus pulchellus, INV CNI2305, off La Guajira, calicular and lateral views, both x 4.4; T–U, Polycyathus senegalensis, INV CNI809, off La Guajira, calicular view and colony, both x 2.7; V, Cladocora debilis, INV CNI877, off Palomino, colony fragment showing typical branching pattern, x 0.8. Scale bars for A–B, F–G,V = 1 cm;C, J–U = 5 mm; D–E, H–I = 1 mm.