Paragorgia wahine, JUAN ARMANDO SÁNCHEZ, 2005

JUAN ARMANDO SÁNCHEZ, 2005, Systematics of the bubblegum corals (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Paragorgiidae) with description of new species from New Zealand and the Eastern Pacific, Zootaxa 1014, pp. 1-72 : 47-49

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.169657

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AC779A99-6987-4CF9-A8A6-4EB0FC89779C

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5668486

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0D0265F5-8D3F-4684-9171-63A028067370

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:0D0265F5-8D3F-4684-9171-63A028067370

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Paragorgia wahine
status

sp. nov.

Paragorgia wahine View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 30–31 View Figure 30 View FIGURE 31 )

Material examined. Holotype: NIWA 3326 , H­846, J247 , 42 ° 47.47' S – 179 ° 59.33' W, “ Diabolical seamount ”, 890–1000m, 17 April 2001 (RV Tangaroa 0104/113, epibenthic sled). GoogleMaps

Diagnostic characters. Slim branches up to 2 mm in diameter at the portions without autozoids. Surface sclerites highly ornate, 8­radiate, capstan­like sclerites ( Fig. 31 View FIGURE 31 ), averaging 0.07 mm and 1.7 times longer than wide, averaging 0.04 mm in width. Medulla with long, slim, highly ornate, spindles up to 0.3 mm.

Description. The holotype is a fragile and slim single branch up to 2 mm in diameter at the portions without autozoids ( Fig. 30 View Figure 30 ). Autozoids with gregarious tendency, with clusters up to 7 mm in diameter, but occasionally isolated on the other portions of the branch ( Fig. 30 View Figure 30 ). Autozooid polyps fully retracted. Autozooid polyp apertures low. Colony easily breakable, 50 mm in length ( Fig. 30 View Figure 30 ). Color variable between pink and red. Medulla in the terminal portion of the branch perforated by 5–7 small, circular, internal canals. Polyps with blunt, long spindles in tentacles, up to 0.1 mm in length, with radial ornate belts of multiple acute cones ( Fig. 31 View FIGURE 31 A–C). Surface sclerites highly ornate, 8­radiate­derived, capstan­like sclerites ( Fig. 31 View FIGURE 31 D–H), averaging 0.07 mm (0.004 SD, n=10). Surface sclerites 1.7 times longer than wide, averaging 0.04 mm in width (0.002 SD, n=10). Subsurface with spindle­like sclerites of intermediate form. Medulla with long, slim, highly ornate, spindles up to 0.3 mm in length ( Fig. 31 View FIGURE 31 I).

Morphological variation. Unfortunately, only one specimen was available for this species. It was possible to see a great deal of variability in the ornamentation of the surface and medulla sclerites.

Distribution. Known only from “Diabolical Seamount”, east of New Zealand.

Species comparisons. All the sclerites from P. wahine sp. nov. are similar to those from P. splendens . However, P. splendens surface sclerites are overall larger than P. wahine . Surface sclerites average 0.089 mm in P. splendens compared to 0.071 in P. wahine . Likewise, medullar sclerites are up to 0.5 mm in P. splendens and usually less than 0.3 mm in P. wahine . More obvious differences between the two species are in the external appearance, where P. wahine is certainly slimmer and smoother than P. splendens .

Etymology. Wahine , “bride”, “wife” or “woman” in Maori, was an inter­island ferry in New Zealand that sunk on 10 April, 1968. The species is named in remembrance of all the victims of the disaster.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Cnidaria

Class

Anthozoa

Order

Alcyonacea

Family

Paragorgiidae

Genus

Paragorgia

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