Echinogorgia, Kolliker, 1865

Lam, Katherine & Morton, Brian, 2008, Soft corals, sea fans, gorgonians (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) and black and wire corals (Ceriantipatharia: Antipatharia) from submarine caves in Hong Kong with a checklist of local species and a description of a new species of Paraminabea, Journal of Natural History 42 (9 - 12), pp. 749-780 : 761-762

Echinogorgia sp. 1

( Figure 4A )

Description

Light brown colony is a thin, slender stem with short simple branches. Calyces on colony are distributed as low, round verrucae. The calyx walls are covered with projections that are flattened, smooth and imbricating. Exposed portions of the spicules have a foliaceous, expanded base embedded in the coenenchyme of the walls. Polyps are retractile. Echinogorgia type spicules are prominent, consisting of a multiradiate and tuberculate base from which arise one or several clear, smooth, flattened or foliaceous expansions. These sclerites are 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm. There are also ordinary spindles of, 0.5 mm. Spicules yellow and colourless. Axis brown, flexible.

Distribution

Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.

Remarks

One specimen, 45 mm long, was collected from Steep Island Cave. This species is a new record for Hong Kong.

Figures

Figure 4. Living specimens of octocorals belonging to the Plexauridae and Ellisellidae. A, Echinogorgia sp. 1; B, Echinogorgia pseudosassapo; C, Echinogorgia sp. 2; D, Echinomuricea spinifera and E, Verrucella sp. Scale bar52 cm.