Litophyton swainensis, 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.3803588 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BCB717-235A-FFAD-FF35-831EFB5CFD7E |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Litophyton swainensis |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Litophyton swainensis View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figs. 85g View FIGURE 85 , 97d View FIGURE 97 , 103 View FIGURE 103 )
Material examined. Holotype NTM C1371 , Queensland, Swain reefs, Sweet-lip reef, 15 November 1980, coll. P. Alderslade ; paratypes: NTM C651, March 1978, coll. D. Schubot; NTM C652, March 1978, coll. D. Schubot; NTM C1372, Queensland, Swain reefs, Sanctuary reef, 15 November 1980, coll. P. Alderslade; NTM C 1374-1376, 1378, Queensland, Swain reefs, Sweet-lip reef, 15 November 1980, coll. P. Alderslade.
Description. The holotype is 4 cm high and 4.5 cm wide, the stalk is 1.5 cm long ( Fig. 97d View FIGURE 97 ). The polyps are up to 0.6 mm wide and high, they are grouped in spherical catkins.
Polyps. With a relatively good arrangement of sclerites in eight points ( Fig. 85g View FIGURE 85 ). Abaxially and laterally point sclerites are spindles; abaxially up to 0.50 mm long, with simple tubercles and spines ( Fig. 103a View FIGURE 103 ). Laterally they are up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 103b View FIGURE 103 ). Adaxially there are small, curved scales, up to 0.10 mm long, similar to those of the tentacles ( Fig. 103c View FIGURE 103 ). The polyp stalk has straight rods, up to 0.10 mm long ( Fig. 103d View FIGURE 103 ). Supporting bundle not projecting or slightly so, composed of spindles, up to 1.30 mm long, with simple tubercles and one spiny end ( Fig. 103e View FIGURE 103 ).
Surface layer top stalk. Spindles and unilaterally spinose spindles, all with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 103 View FIGURE 103 f-g). A few capstans and derivatives of capstans are also present (not depicted), also with simple and complex tubercles. Capstans 0.10-0.15 mm long; spindles up to about 0.35 mm long.
Surface layer base stalk. Capstans, derivatives of capstans, spindles, and unilaterally spinose spindles, all with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 103 View FIGURE 103 h-i). Capstans 0.05-0.20 mm long; spindles up to about 0.20 mm long.
Interior stalk. Spindles, up to 1.1 mm long ( Fig. 103 View FIGURE 103 j-k), with pointed ends and simple tubercles ( Fig. 103l View FIGURE 103 ). Unfortunately the SEM images showed shorter spindles than the microscope slide.
Etymology. Named after the holotype locality.
Distribution. Great Barrier Reef: Sanctuary reef, Sweet-lip reef.
Remarks. The species resembles L. folium sp. nov. but has finer spines on the surface sclerites and finer tuberculation on the interior stalk sclerites, which are also slightly longer. Moreover, L. folium sp. nov. has many smaller branched interior stalk sclerites ( Fig. 87a View FIGURE 87 ), whereas they are seldom branched in L. swainensis .
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.