Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) lamellifera Moseley, 1881

Filander, Zoleka N., Kitahara, Marcelo V., Cairns, Stephen D., Sink, Kerry J. & Lombard, Amanda T., 2021, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from South Africa, ZooKeys 1066, pp. 1-198 : 1

Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) lamellifera Moseley, 1881

Fig. 2C, D

Caryophyllia lamellifera Moseley, 1881: 140-141, pl. 1, fig. 7A, B. -Hutton 1904: 315. - Cairns 1991: 12. - Cairns 1995: 51-52, pl. 9, fig. I, pl. 10, figs A-C. - Cairns and Zibrowius 1997: 90. - Cairns 1999a: 74-75. - Cairns et al. 1999: 20. -Cairns 2004: 278. -Kitahara et al. 2010: 104, 105, 113, 115, figs 64-68.

Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) lamellifera . - Kitahara and Cairns 2021: 483-485, figs 263F-G, 264.

Type locality.

Kermadec Ridge (HMS ‘Challenger’ stn. 170: 29°55'S, 178°14'W); 1152 m ( Moseley 1881; Kitahara et al. 2010).

Type material.

Two uncatalogued syntypes are deposited at the NHMUK (Kitahara et al. 2010).

Material examined.

SAMC_A090155 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, Sodwana, 120 m.

Description.

Corallum trochoid and attached to substrate by a broad pedicel (PD:GCD = 1.5) that expands into an encrusting base. Specimen examined 12.8 × 10.7 mm in CD, 32.5 mm in H, and displays a case of rejuvenescence. Calice elliptical (GCD:LCD = 1.27), with a jagged calicular margin. Costae poorly developed, but prominent near calicular margin and progressively disappearing towards base. Theca covered with thin transverse ridges. Corallum mostly white, but brownish purple near calicular margin.

Septa hexamerally arranged in five cycles, the last incomplete, according to the formula: S1-2> S3> S4> S5 (52 total septa). S1-2 equal in width and most exsert septa, with straight to slightly sinuous axial margins. S3-4 progressively less exsert, with sinuous axial margins, S3 being most sinuous. S31/3 less wide than S1-2, bearing a thick and sinuous pali (13 P3). S4 dimorphic in size: half systems with S5 the S4 neighbouring S1 being 1/3 less wide than S3, and S4 flanked by S5 being the same width as S3; whilst in half systems without S5 S4 is 1/5 less wide than S3. S5 slightly less wide than S4. Septal and palar faces covered with granules arranged in a perpendicular manner. Fossa moderately deep, containing a fascicular columella composed of 12 twisted elements.

Distribution.

Regional: Eastern margin of South Africa, off Sodwana; 120 m. Elsewhere: Australia ( Cairns 1995, 2004a); New Zealand ( Cairns 1995); New Caledonia (Kitahara et al. 2010; Kitahara and Cairns 2021); Philippines; Indonesia ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997); Wallis and Futuna Islands; and Vanuatu ( Cairns 1999a); 89-1152 m.

Remarks.

As noted by Kitahara et al. (2010), Caryophyllia (C.) lamellifera differs from the other five congeners ( C. rugosa Moseley, 1880, C. corrugata Cairns, 1979, C. cinticulata (Alcock, 1898), C. versicolorata Kitahara, Cairns & Miller, 2010a, and C. aspera Kitahara, Cairns & Miller, 2010a) that have theca covered with transverse ridges, by its septal arrangement and profile. Although C. lamellifera resembles C. corrugata and C. aspera in having hexamerally arranged septa, it differs from these two species in having S1 = S2 as compared with S1> S2 as in C. corrugata and C. aspera . Septal exsertness is another distinguishing feature, particularly when comparing C. lamellifera with C. versicolorata , for which the former displays a highly exsert S1 (2 mm) as compared with 1.5 mm in C. versicolorata . Furthermore, all septa of C. lamellifera have sinuous axial margins while the S1 of C. aspera are straight. Caryophyllia lamellifera differs from the other two South African congeners ( C. rugosa and C. cinticulata ) in having septa hexamerally arranged in five incomplete cycles in contrast to septa octamerally (may sometimes be decamerally) arranged in three cycles in C. rugosa , and decamerally arranged in three cycles in C. cinticulata . The only examined South African specimen of C. lamellifera varies from those from New Caledonia in having 13 pali instead of 12, having septa arranged in five incomplete cycles (6:6:12:24:4), and in the dimorphic size shown by S4. This account represents a new record for South Africa and extends the previous Pacific distribution of C. lamellifera into the Indian Ocean.

Figures

Figure 2. A, B Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) grandis (SAMC _ A 073150, off Mazeppa Bay, 480 - 490 m) A calicular view B lateral view C, D Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) lamellifera (SAMC _ A 090155, off Sodwana Bay, 120 m) C calicular view D lateral view E, F Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) profunda (DTE Valdivia Stn 108, off Agulhas, 126 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, H Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) quadragenaria (USNM 91539, Eastern coast, off Shaka's Rock, 350 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) rugosa (SAMC _ A 090071, off Kosi-Kumpungwini (Sifungwe) Estuary, 370 m) I calicular view J lateral view K, N Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) sarsiae K, L (MN _ SM 226, off Mazeppa Bay, 710 - 775 m) K calicular view L lateral view M, N (MN _ SM 174, off Kidds Beach, 760 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) scobinosa (SAM _ H 1248, off Durban, 91 m) O calicular view P lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm.