Litophyton myrmidonensis, 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.3803564 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BCB717-2332-FFC3-FF35-8774FE91F920 |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Litophyton myrmidonensis |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Litophyton myrmidonensis View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figs. 12b View FIGURE 12 , 13c View FIGURE 13 , 16-17 View FIGURE 16 View FIGURE 17 )
Material examined. Holotype NTM C994 , 1978, coll. D. Schubot ; paratypes: NTM C3951, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Myrmidon reef, depth 1-5 m, 7 January 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen; NTM C4393, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Myrmidon reef, depth 10-15 m, 3 February 1981, coll. Z. Dinesen; other material: NTM C2247, Queensland, Briggs-Sudbury reef, March 1978, coll. P. Alderslade.
Description. The holotype NTM C994 is 16 cm high and 15.5 cm wide, the stalk is 4 cm high ( Fig. 12b View FIGURE 12 ). The base of the stalk has a flap of tissue, probably encrusting the substrate when the colony was alive. The polyps are up to 0.8 mm wide and 0.45 mm high, grouped in oblong to spherical catkins.
Polyps. With irregular arrangement of sclerites in eight points ( Fig. 13c View FIGURE 13 ). Abaxial and lateral point sclerites are spindles with simple tubercles and spiny distal part, largest present abaxially, up to 0.40 mm long, towards the adaxial points they become smaller ( Fig. 16a View FIGURE 16 ). Tentacles with curved scales up to 0.10 mm long ( Fig. 16b View FIGURE 16 ). Adaxial side of the polyp stalk with straight rods up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 c-d). A couple of these rods have a rough surface texture. Supporting bundle composed of one or two spindles up to 2 mm long, with simple tubercles, and a smooth or spiny tip projecting for a maximum distance of 0.40 mm ( Fig. 16e View FIGURE 16 ).
Surface layer top stalk. Spindles and unilaterally spinose spindles, up to 0.80 mm long, with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 f-g). The unilaterally spinose sclerites have long spines.
Surface layer base stalk. Capstans, derivatives of capstans, spindles, and unilaterally spinose spindles, with simple and complex tubercles ( Figs. 16 View FIGURE 16 h-i, 17a-b). The spindles are up to 0.80 mm long. The unilaterally spinose sclerites have long spines. In the flap unilaterally spinose sclerites are lacking ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 c-d).
Interior stalk. Spindles with pointed ends, up to 2.00 mm long ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 e-f), with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 17g View FIGURE 17 ).
Etymology. Named after the paratype locality.
Distribution. Great Barrier Reef: Myrmidon reef, Briggs-Sudbury reef.
Remarks. This is the only Litophyton species with projecting supporting bundle with spindles with a smooth tip and polyp stalks with long rods.
With some doubts NTM C2247 is included in this species as it shows some supporting bundle spindles with smooth, projecting tip and long rods in the polyp stalk, but its interior stalk spindles differ, being only 0.85 mm long.
The unilaterally spinose sclerites with very long spines are very distinctive but are in group I also present in L. dipensis View in CoL sp. nov., L. elfordensis sp. nov., and L. graafae sp. nov. The differences between these species are discussed with L. dipensis .
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.
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