Calyptrophora Gray, 1866

Cairns, Stephen D., 2018, Deep-Water Octocorals (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from the Galapagos and Cocos Islands. Part 1: Suborder Calcaxonia, ZooKeys 729, pp. 1-46 : 8

Genus Calyptrophora Gray, 1866

Calyptrophora Gray 1866: 25; Bayer 2001:267-368; Cairns 2007b: 512 (listed); Cairns and Bayer 2009, 44-45; Cairns 2009: 420-426 (key to species); Cairns 2012: 42-43 (key to New Zealand species).

Type species.

Calyptrophora japonica Gray, 1866, by monotypy.

Diagnosis.

Colonies uniplanar to slightly bushy (lyrate, dichotomous, polychotomous, biplanar) or unbranched. Polyps arranged in whorls, the polyps facing either upward or downward. Polyps consist of two annular sclerite rings, each composed of two inseparably fused scales; a pair of crescent-shaped infrabasals also present. Articular ridge present between basal and buccal body wall scale. Distal margins of body wall scales often spinose, toothed, or lobate. Operculum composed of eight scales; keels usually present on inner face of opercular scales. Coenenchymal scales elongate and flat, sometimes quite thick (as plates). Small curved tentacular platelets often present.

Distribution.

Tropical and temperate latitudes of Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, 227-3531 m deep.

Remarks.

Including the new species described herein, the genus contains 23 species, making it the fifth most species-rich genus within the primnoids. Bayer (2001) divided the genus into two species complexes, one having their polyps directed upward, the other having their polyps directed downward. Although helpful in grouping and identifying species, these two species groups do not seem to have phylogenetic validity ( Cairns 2009, Cairns and Wirshing in review).