Stylatula elegans ( Danielssen, 1860 )

Devictor, Susan T. & Morton, Steve L., 2010, Identification guide to the shallow water (0 - 200 m) octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight 2599, Zootaxa 2599 (1), pp. 1-62 : 55

Stylatula elegans ( Danielssen, 1860)

( Figure 49 )

Virgularia elegans Danielssen, 1860:277 .

Stylatula elegans .— Kükenthal 1915:69; text. Fig. 68.— Deichmann 1936:270.— Bayer 1958:381; Fig. 1a .— Williams 1995:123 — Cairns et al, 2002:36.

Material examined. USNM 10068, 181 m, off Charleston, SC, January 5, 1885 . USNM 59567, 30 m, off South Carolina, August 23, 1977 . USNM 59513, 24 m, off North Carolina, April 30, 1980 .

Remarks. This species has distinct needle-like sclerites arranged in a supporting fan in the basal section of the polyp leaves, which contain up to six autozooids. There are approximately 10 large needles in each fan, reaching 1 mm in length, with smaller needles interspersed. These leaves and fans flank the axis in an alternate opposite, bilateral arrangement. The axis measures up to 0.4 mm in diameter. The polyps contain rod-like sclerites which are not easily visible. In the specimens examined that were complete, the leaf pairs are closer together towards the peduncle but more spread out distally.

Of the three specimens examined, one is a fragment and two are complete. The complete specimens have significantly smaller polyps and axis diameter, and only reach a total length of 65–75 mm. The fragment has a wider axis width and leaves, which are separated by approximately 4 mm. All specimens have a white axis with light brown polyps, and white needles.

There are numerous lots of this species in the NMNH from the shallow SAB.

Atlantic distribution: Norway (type), New Jersey to Cape Canaveral, Dry Tortugas, 20–812 m ( Deichmann 1936; Bayer 1958; Williams 1995; NMNH collections; SERTC collection).

Figures

FIGURE 1. The South Atlantic Bight, which includes coastal waters between Cape Hatteras and Cape Canaveral, USA. The 200 m isobath is shown.

FIGURE 49. Stylatula elegans preserved specimens: A, rachis, showing polyp arrangement (USNM 59567 = S2593); B, polyps, showing autozooid leaves and sclerite arrangement (USNM 10068) (scale bar = 0.5 mm).