Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) stellula Cairns, 1998

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) stellula Cairns, 1998

Fig. 3A, B

Caryophyllia epithecata . - Gardiner 1904: 114-117, pl. 1, figs 3 A-C (in part: localities I-V). - Cairns and Keller 1993: 219.

Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) stellula Cairns, 1998: 375-376, fig. 2A-C. -Cairns 2004a: 278.

Type locality.

Off west of Rottnest Island, Australia (RV ‘Diamantina’ stn. 25: 31°48'00.0"S, 114°58'12.0"E); 402 m ( Cairns 1998).

Type material.

The holotype is deposited at the WAM ( Cairns 1998).

Material examined.

DEFF_SVMEC-INV190 (11 specimen): Southern margin, 54 km from Cape Point / 56 km off Buffels Wes Estuary, 34°43'48.62"S, 18°07'14.02"E ; 386- 392m. DEFF/SAEON_ A32776 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 200 km from KNYSNA/ 210 km off Ratels Estuary, 34°43'48.62"S, 18°07'14.02"E ; 636 m. SAMC_A073140 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 6 km off Cape Vidal / 17 km off St Lucia Estuary, 28°08'17.88"S, 32°36'54.00"E ; 200 m. SAMC_A088909 (8 specimens): Southern margin, 140 km off Agulhas / 144 km off Ratels Estuary, 36°02'29.58"S, 19°41'24.61"E ; 445 m. SAMC_A088922 (3 specimens): Southern margin, 140 km off Agulhas / 144 km off Ratels Estuary, 36°02'29.58"S, 19°41'24.61"E ; 445- 463 m. SAMC_A088923 (4 specimens): Southern margin, 140 km off Agulhas / 144 km Ratels off Bulura Estuary, 36°02'29.58"S, 19°41'24.61"E ; 445- 463 m. SAMC_A088928 (2 specimens): Southern margin, 65 km off Cape St. Francis / 70 km off Slang Estuary, 34°47'05.01"S, 24°45'42.30"E ; 392 m. SAMC_A090127 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 240 km off Agulhas / 247 km off De Mond-Heuningnes Estuary, 36°45'34.13"S, 21°12'46.61"E ; 513 m. SAMC_A090145 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 116 km off Knysna /off Goukamma Estuary, 35°07'11.27"S, 23°02'41.91"E ; 333 m. SAM_H1378 (2 specimens): Southern margin: 11 km off East London / 5 km off Gouda Estuary, 33°05'03.24"S, 27°49'33.40"E ; 146- 238 m. SAM_H1394 (25 specimens): No locality data. SAM_H1396 (2 specimens): Western margin, 14 km off Saldanha / 31 km off Berg River I Floodplain Estuary, 33°06'29.99"S, 18°01'59.99"E ; 347 m. SAM_H1418 (8 specimens): Western margin, 1 km off Cape Point / 8 km off Buffels Wes Estuary, 34°21'42.64"S, 18°30'12.06"E ; 549 m. SAM_H1421 (2 specimens): Western margin 1 km off Cape Point / 8 km off Buffels Wes Estuary, 34°21'42.64"S, 18°30'12.06"E ; 567-1024 m. SAM_H1433 (16 specimens): Western margin, 1 km off Cape Point / 8 km off Buffels Wes Estuary, 34°21'42.64"S, 18°30'12.06"E ; 574- 732 m. SAM_H1436 (44 specimens): Southern margin, 2 km off Mosselbaai / 11 km off Hartenbos Estuary, 34°11'10.12"S, 22°09'40.59"E ; 165- 183 m. SAM_H1448 (92 specimens): Southern margin, 241 km off Agulhas / 247 km off De Mond-Heuningnes Estuary, 36°40'00.00"S, 21°25'59.99"E ; 200 m. SAM_H1485 (72 specimens): Southern margin, 241 km off Agulhas / 247 km off De Mond-Heuningnes Estuary, 36°40'00.00"S, 21°25'59.99"E ; 200 m. SAM_H3056 (21 specimen): Southern margin, 2 km off Mosselbaai / 11 km off Hartenbos Estuary, 34°11'10.12"S, 22°09'40.59"E ; 229 m. SAM_H3059 (2 specimens): South Africa, no other locality data .

Imagery data.

BMNH 1939.7.20.249-251 (2 specimens): South Africa, locality data unknown. RV ‘Galathea’ stn. 202 (3 specimens): Eastern margin, KwaZulu-Natal, depth unknown.

Description.

Corallum ceratoid, unattached, curved, having a slender pedicel (PD:GCD = 0.1-0.2). Calice slightly elliptical (GCD:LCD = 1.1), with smooth to slightly serrated calicular margin. Largest specimen examined (SAM_H1485) 11.4 × 10.2 mm in CD, 1.8 mm in PD, and 22.4 mm in H. Costae poorly developed, slightly granular, and separated by shallow intercostal furrows. Costae extending towards base. Theca thick. Corallum white, with yellowish brown theca.

Septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles according to the formula: S1-2> S3> S4 (48 septa). S1-2 slightly exsert and extend to columella. S32/3 the width of S1-2, and bear a sinuous pali (12 P3). S4 ¼ the width of S3. All septal have sinuous axial margins, S3 being the most sinuous. Higher cycle septa (S3-4) progressively less exsert (if at all). Fossa relatively deep, with a fascicular columella composed of 4-6 ribbon-like elements.

Distribution.

Regional: Western to eastern margin of South Africa, off Saldanha extending towards Cape Vidal; 200-567 m. Elsewhere: Western Australia ( Cairns 1998); 240-402 m.

Remarks.

Of the Caryophyllia reported from the South African territory, C. stellula may be confused with C. scobinosa , but differs in having a more robust corallum, a thicker calicular margin, and different pattern of septal exsertness. Caryophyllia (C.) stellula was first reported from South Africa as C. epithecata ( Gardiner 1904) who elevated Duncan’s (1873) C. clavus var. epithecata to species level. However, this goes against the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1985: article 45g) and, therefore, the correct author of C. epithecata is Duncan (1873). Despite this, Duncan’s C. clavus var. epithecata is a junior synonym of C. smithi ( Zibrowius 1974c). In South Africa, C. stellula shows a broad regional distribution and the several specimens examined herein enabled the observation of intraspecific morphological variation. Some representatives have curved corallum with a narrow pedicel while others display a more robust and thicker pedicel, features also illustrated by Gardiner (1904). Nonetheless, the species consistently have septa hexameral symmetry in four complete cycles, and a total of 12 well-defined P3, each positioned before S3. Unfortunately, Gardiner’s (1904) specimens were untraceable but his records are within the reported distribution proposed herein. The new material presented here increases the known depth range of this species by 75 m.

Figures

Figure 3. A, B Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) stellula (SAM _ H 1485, off Agulhas, 200 m) A calicular view B lateral view C, D Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) valdiviae (SAM _ H 3108, off Durban, depth unknown) C calicular view D lateral view E, F Crispatotrochus cornu (UCT _ NAD 17 F, off Isipingo, 49 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, J Desmophyllum dianthus G, H (SAMC _ A 077974, off Paternoster, 440 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J (BMNH. 1939.7.20.218, locality data unknown) I calicular view J lateral view K, L Desmophyllum pertusum (SAM _ H 1605, off Melkbosstrand, depth unknown) K calicular view L lateral view M, N Goniocorella dumosa (SAM _ H 3190, off Kidds Beach, 760 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Heterocyathus aequicostatus (SAMC _ A 073186, off Durban, 150 m) O calicular view P lateral view Scale bars: 10 mm (A-I, K-P); 100 mm (J).