Paraplexaura

Namin, Samimi & Ofwegen, Van, 2009, Some shallow water octocorals (Coelenterata: Anthozoa) of the Persian Gulf, Zootaxa 2058, pp. 1-52 : 39-43

Paraplexaura sp.

( Figs. 13 g, 30)

Material: RMNH Coel. 38907, one colony fragment, Strait of Hormuz, Qeshm Island, 18 May 2006; a fragment has been deposited in the Persian Gulf Biotechnology Research Center.

Description. The colony is 12 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, and sparsely branched ( Fig. 13 g). No calyces are present, polyp openings closely set to each other, and situated all around the branches.

The polyps have no sclerites.

Surface layer of coenenchyme with thornscales and unilateral spinose bodies, up to 0.50 mm long ( Fig. 30 a).

Inner layer of coenenchyme has spindles, capstans, and capstan derivatives ( Fig 30 b–c); the capstans and derivatives are up to 0.10 mm long, the spindles up to 0.35 mm.

Colour. The colony and sclerites are yellow.

Remarks. Without thorough revision of the genus Paraplexaura we consider it impossible to identify species of this genus with any certainty.

Figures

FIGURE 30. RMNH Coel. 38907, Paraplexaura sp.: a, thornscales and unilateral spinose bodies of surface layer; b, capstan derivative of the subsurface layer; c, spindles, capstans, and capstan derivatives of the subsurface layer. Scale at a also applies to b.

FIGURE 13. a, RMNH Coel. 38772, Echinomuricea sp. a; b, RMNH Coel. 38776, Echinomuricea sp. b; c, RMNH Coel. 38781, Menella sp. a; d, RMNH Coel. 38782, Menella sp. b; e, RMNH Coel. 38783, Menella sp. c; f, RMNH Coel. 38784, Menella cf. kanisa Grasshoff, 2000; g, RMNH Coel. 38907, Paraplexaura sp. Scales at a and f 2 cm, all others 1 cm.