Litophyton dipensis, Van, 2020
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4764.1.1 |
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publication LSID |
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:53C5289A-156C-4AF1-B84A-73099A332C05 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3803558 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BCB717-232A-FFDB-FF35-86DFFDCDF8FE |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Litophyton dipensis |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Litophyton dipensis View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figs. 2c View FIGURE 2 , 6-7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 , 12a View FIGURE 12 )
Material examined. Holotype NTM C362 , February 1978, coll. D. Schubot ; paratype NTM C4141, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Dip reef, depth 5-10 m, 6 February 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen.
Description. The holotype NTM C362 is 7 cm high and 10,5 cm wide, the stalk is 2 cm high ( Fig. 12a View FIGURE 12 ). The polyps are up to 0.65 mm wide and 0.50 mm high, and grouped in conical catkins.
Polyps. With irregular arrangement of sclerites in eight points ( Fig. 2c View FIGURE 2 ). Abaxial and lateral point sclerites are spindles with simple tubercles and spiny distal part, largest present abaxially, up to 0.45 mm long ( Fig. 6a View FIGURE 6 ), towards the adaxial points they become smaller ( Fig. 6b View FIGURE 6 ). Tentacles with curved scales up to 0.10 mm long ( Fig. 6c View FIGURE 6 ). Adaxial side of the polyp stalk with straight rods up to 0.12 mm long ( Fig. 6d View FIGURE 6 ). Supporting bundle composed of one or two spindles up to 1.50 mm long, with simple tubercles and a spiny tip projecting for a maximum distance of 0.70 mm ( Fig. 6e View FIGURE 6 ). Many polyp sclerites have an optically black inner core.
Surface layer top stalk. Capstans, derivatives of capstans, spindles and unilaterally spinose spindles. The spindles are up to 0.80 mm long, with simple and complex tubercles and long spines ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 f-g).
Surface layer base stalk. Capstans, derivatives of capstans, spindles, and unilaterally spinose spindles, up to 0.60 mm long, with complex tubercles and very long spines ( Fig. 7a View FIGURE 7 ).
Interior stalk. Spindles with pointed or blunt ends, up to 1.00 mm long and smaller irregular forms ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 b-c), with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 7d View FIGURE 7 ).
Etymology. Named after the locality of the paratype.
Distribution. Great Barrier Reef: Dip reef.
Remarks. This is the only species with projecting supporting bundle and blunt interior spindles. The unilaterally spinose sclerites with very long spines are very distinctive but in group I are also present in L. elfordensis sp. nov., L. graafae sp. nov., and L. myrmidonensis sp. nov. However, L. dipensis has many interior stalk spindles with blunt ends, in L. elfordensis they are branched, in L. graafae they are pointed with very coarse tubercles, and in L. myrmidonensis they are very slender.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.