Truncatoflabellum multispinosum Cairns in Cairns & Keller, 1993

Filander, Zoleka N., Kitahara, Marcelo V., Cairns, Stephen D., Sink, Kerry J. & Lombard, Amanda T., 2021, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from South Africa, ZooKeys 1066, pp. 1-198 : 1

Truncatoflabellum multispinosum Cairns in Cairns & Keller, 1993

Fig. 12O-P.

Truncatoflabellum multispinosum Cairns in Cairns & Keller, 1993: 268 and 272, figs 11H, 12A-C. - Cairns 1999b: 32. - Cairns 2016: 32, fig. 8D. - Tenjing et al. 2019: 92. - Kitahara and Cairns 2021: 251, 253, figs 128, 131A-D.

Type locality.

Off Quissico, south-eastern Mozambique (RV ‘Vityaz’ stn. 2634: 25°05'00"S, 34°50'00"E); 90-92 m ( Cairns and Keller 1993).

Type material.

The holotype and most paratypes are deposited at NMNH, whilst one paratype is deposited at the SAM ( Cairns and Keller 1993).

Material examined.

SAMC_A087450 (2 specimens): Locality unknown. SAM_H4580 (1 specimen: paratype): Eastern margin, 256 km south of Ponta Do Ouro / 1 km off Elsies Estuary, 25°07'00.00"S, 34°34'00.00"E; 112 m. USNM 91746 (1 paratype): Eastern margin, 73 km from Cape Vidal / 17 km off Mgobezeleni Estuary, 27°31'21.60"S, 32°49'10.80"E; 75 m.

Description.

Corallum medium-sized (GCD ~25.0 mm) and sub-cylindrical. Calice elliptical (GCD:LCD = 2.05-2.80), with a thin and slightly serrated calicular margin. Basal scar 8.9 × 4.9 mm in diameter, with 24 complete septa observable on scar. Largest anthocyathus examined (SAMC_A087450) 22.3 × 11.9 mm in CD, and 18.4 mm in H. Five pairs of slender and rounded thecal spines occur on thecal edges. Thecal faces diverge in an angle ~ 55°, and thecal edges ~ 30°. Corallum white, with theca being faintly greenish brown.

Septa decamerally arranged in five cycles, last being incomplete, according to the formula: S1-2> S3> S4> S5 (84 septa). S1-2 slightly larger than S3, but all having vertical and slightly sinuous axial margins. S4 ½ the width of S1-3 and bear sinuous and slightly dentate axial margin. S5 rudimentary. Septal faces covered with granules obliquely aligned in rows along axial septal margin. Fossa deep with a trabecular columella formed by the fusion of lower axial margins of S1-3.

Distribution.

Regional: Eastern margin of South Africa, off Cape Vidal extending towards Elsies Estuary (256 km south of Ponta Do Ouro: Mozambique); 67-75 m. Elsewhere: Zanzibar; Mozambique; Madagascar ( Cairns and Keller 1993); New Caledonia ( Cairns 2016); Kitahara and Cairns 2021 62-350 m.

Remarks.

Truncatoflabellum multispinosum is well described by Cairns and Keller (1993), who outline the variation in symmetry and number of septa in relation to corallum size. The two newly examined specimens represent a medium-sized anthocyathus (above description is based on this specimen). Truncatoflabellum multispinosum and T. vanuatu (Wells, 1984) are the only two Recent species reported to have ≤ five pairs of thecal spines. However, T. multispinosum differs by having a larger corallum, greater thecal edge angle range, and a higher number of septa ( Cairns and Keller 1993; Cairns 2016).

Figures

Figure 12. A, B Javania insignis (SAMC _ A 090116, off Port Dunford, 85 m) A calicular view B lateral view C, D Placotrochides scaphula (USNM 91772, off Scottburgh, 1360 m) C calicular view D calicular view E, H Rhizotrochus typus E, F (SAMC _ A 090094, off Coffee Bay, 160 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, H (SCD 39 B, off Coffee Bay, 160 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J Truncatoflabellum formosum (SAM _ H 1389, off Shaka's Rock, 183 m) I calicular view J lateral view K, L Truncatoflabellum gardineri (SAM _ H 3847, off Shaka's Rock, 138 m) K calicular view L lateral view M, N Truncatoflabellum inconstans (SAM _ H 1241, off Kei Mouth, 66 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Truncatoflabellum multispinosum (SAMC _ A 087450, locality data unknown) O calicular view P lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm.