Incrustatus comauensis, Van Ofwegen, L. P., Häussermann, V. & Försterra, G., 2006

Van Ofwegen, L. P., Häussermann, V. & Försterra, G., 2006, A new genus of soft coral (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Clavulariidae) from Chile, Zootaxa 1219, pp. 47-57 : 49-56

Incrustatus comauensis n. sp.

( Figs. 1–5 )

Holotype: RMNH Coel. 33864, colony on Crepidula , Chile, Comau Fjord, steep wall north of Punta Llonco, 42º19.894’ S, 72º27.661’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 5), depth 8.5 m, coll. VH & GF, 25 December 2004.

Paratypes: MZUC­UCCC 31589, colony on gorgonian, Chile, Isla Laitec (SW of Chiloé Island), Piedra Lile, 43°10’ S, 73°37’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S3), depth 13–20 m, coll. VH, 4 March 2005; MZUC­UCCC 31590, colony on Crepidula , Chile, Comau Fjord, steep wall north of Punta Llonco, 42º19.894’ S, 72º27.661’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 5), depth 3 m, coll. VH & GF, 25 December 2004; MZUC­UCCC 31591, unattached fragments, Chile, Comau Fjord, western shore of Isla Lilihuapi, 42°09.722’ S, 72°35.915’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 12), steep wall, depth 5 m, coll. GF, 12 January 2005; MZUC­UCCC 31592, colony on Crepidula , Chile, western shore of Comau Fjord opposite of Huinay Station, 42º23.276’ S, 72º27.657’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 3), depth 20 m, coll. VH & GF, 20 December 2004; MZUC­UCCC 31593, unattached fragments, Chile, Bernardo Area, Canal Caldcleugh N, 48°24’46.4’’ S, 74°18’23.6’’ W ( Fig. 5 c: C3), depth 6 m, coll. VH & GF, 29 March 2005; MZUC­UCCC 31594, colonies on polychaete tubes, Chile, Comau Fjord, steep wall north of Punta Llonco, 42º19.894’ S, 72º27.661’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 5), depth 5.7 m, coll. VH & GF, 25 December 2004; MZUC­UCCC 31595, fragment, Chile, Comau Fjord, steep wall behind Punta Huinay, 42º21.843’ S, 72º26.297’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 13), depth 15 m, coll. VH & GF, 4 May 2005; RMNH Coel. 33865, colony on mytilid shell, Chile, Comau Fjord, Punta Huinay, 42º22.483’ S, 72º25.693’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 7), depth 7.5 m, coll. VH & GF, 25 December 2004; RMNH Coel. 33866, colony on polychaete tubes, Chile, Muelle (dock) Melinka (Guaitecas Islands), 43°53’ S, 73°45’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S4), depth 20 m, coll. VH & GF, 6 March 2005; RMNH Coel. 33867, colony on polychaete tubes, one microscope slide, Chile, western shore of Comau Fjord opposite of Huinay Station, 42º23.276’ S, 72º27.657’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 3), depth 14 m, coll. VH & GF, 21 December 2004; RMNH Coel. 33868, colony on gorgonian axis, two microscope slides, Chile, Bernardo Fjord, Isla Caldcleugh S, 48°26’45’’ S, 74°09’41’’ W ( Fig. 5 c: B2), depth 15 m, coll. VH & GF, 28 March 2005; RMNH Coel. 33869, colony on Crepidula , depth 13 m, and one on gorgonian axis, depth 15 m, one microscope slide, Chile, Seno de Reloncaví, Lenca, Punta Chaica, 41°38.303’ S, 72°40.116’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S2), coll. VH & GF, 24 January 2000; RMNH Coel. 33870, several colonies on rock fragments, together with another clavulariid, Chile, western shore of Comau Fjord opposite of Huinay Station, 42º23.276’ S, 72º27.657’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 3), depth 18 m, coll. VH & GF, 21 December 2004; RMNH Coel. 33871, colony on gorgonian axis, Chile, Bernardo Area, Estero Farquhar, 48°29’18.7’’ S, 74°12’25.7’’ W ( Fig. 5 c: B3), depth 14 m, coll. VH & GF, 29 March 2005; RMNH Coel. 33872, colony on Crepidula , Chile, Comau Fjord, wall north of Punta Llonco, 42º19.894’ S, 72º27.661’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 5), depth 14.5 m, coll. VH & GF, 25 December 2004; RMNH Coel. 33873, unattached fragments, Chile, Dichato, on rocky ledge north of Pingueral, Bahía de Coliumo, 36°31’ S, 72°56’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S1), depth 10 m, coll. VH, 13 December 2005; USNM 1084290, colony on gorgonian, together with another clavulariid, Chile, entrance Quintupeu Fjord, 42º28.215’ S, 72º28.214’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 10), depth 15–25 m, coll. M. Schrödl, 25 February 2005; USNM 1084291, colony on Crepidula , Chile, western shore of Comau Fjord opposite of Huinay Station, 42º23.276’ S, 72º27.657’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 3), depth 20 m, coll. VH & GF, 20 December 2004; USNM 1084292, colony on polychaete tube, Chile, Comau Fjord, wall north of Punta Llonco, 42º19.894’ S, 72º27.661’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 5), coll. VH & GF, depth 12.7 m, 25 December 2004; USNM 1084293, unattached fragments, Chile, Comau Fjord, western shore of Isla Lilihuapi, 42°09.722’ S, 72°35.915’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 12), steep wall, depth 5 m, coll. GF, 12 January 2005; USNM 1084294, unattached fragments, Chile, Comau Fjord, western shore of Isla Lilihuapi, 42°09.722’ S, 72°35.915’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 12), steep wall, depth 5 m, coll. GF, 12 January 2005; USNM 1084295, colony on polychaete tubes, Chile, Comau Fjord, steep wall behind Punta Huinay, 42º21.843’ S, 72º26.297’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 13), depth 28 m, coll. VH & GF, 4 May 2005; USNM 1084296, colony on polychaete tube on scleractinian Desmophyllum dianthus , Chile, Guaitecas Islands, Melinka, Canal Betecoi, 43°56’ S, 73°52’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S4), depth 25 m, coll. VH & GF, 8 March 2005; ZSM 20060119, colony on mytilid, Chile, Bernardo Fjord, 12 km, S shore, 48°29’37.4’’ S, 74°05’2’’ W ( Fig. 5 c: B1), depth 8 m, coll. VH & GF, 27 March 2005; ZSM 20060120, several colonies on polychaete tubes, Chile, Guaitecas Islands, Melinka, Canal Betecoi, 43°56’ S, 73°52’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S4), depth 20–30 m, coll. VH & GF, 8 March 2005; ZSM 20060121, unattached colony, Chile, Comau Fjord, Isla Lilihuapi West, 42°09.722’ S, 72°35.915’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 12), steep wall, depth 5 m, coll. GF, 12 January 2005; ZSM 20060122, colony on Crepidula , Chile, Comau Fjord, Isla Lilihuapi West, 42°09.722’ S, 72°35.915’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 12), steep wall, depth 0.6 m, coll. GF, 12 January 2005; ZSM 20060123, colony on wood, Chile, Comau Fjord, steep wall behind Punta Huinay, 42º21.843’ S, 72º26.297’ W ( Fig. 5 b: 13), depth 12 m, coll. VH & GF, 4 May 2005; ZSM 20060124, colony on gorgonian, Chile, Bernardo Fjord, Boca Bernardo S (Canal Farquhar), 48°34’40’’ S, 74°20’18’’ W ( Fig. 5 c: B4), depth 20 m, coll. VH & GF, 30 March 2005; ZSM 20060125, colony on gorgonian axis, Chile, Cailín Island (SW of Chiloé Island), 43°09’ S, 73°35’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S3), depth 13 m, coll. VH & GF, 26 December 1999; ZSM 20060126, colony on Crepidula , Chile, Seno Reloncaví, Lenca, Punta Chaica, 41°38.303’ S, 72°40.116’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S2), coll. VH & GF, 14 January 1998; ZSM 20060127, colony on gorgonian axis, Chile, Bahía of Coliumo, Pingueral, 36°31’ S, 72°56’ W ( Fig. 5 a: S1), depth 5 m, coll. VH & GF, 6 November 1997; ZSM 20060128, unattached fragments, Chile, Comau Fjord, depth 15–20 m, coll. VH & GF, 2003.

Description

The holotype consists of an encrusting colony partly covering a Crepidula shell ( Figs. 1 a, 2a). The calyces are conical, up to about 1 mm high; a few are hardly projecting above the colony surface. All polyps are retracted.

Sclerites of encrusting part and calyces are similar in shape; eight­radiates and derivatives of these. The smallest are about 0.06 mm long, with complex tubercles ( Fig. 3 a). Larger radiates have bigger complex tubercles ( Fig. 3 b–c), and the largest, which are up to 0.12 mm long, become oval bodies with complex tubercles ( Fig. 3 d). A few of the sclerites have the sculpture of the outer surface rounded and smoother than that of the inner surface ( Fig. 3 e). Quite a few polyps have a few small spindles, up to 0.12 mm long, with simple tubercles ( Fig. 3 f). These spindles are irregularly arranged in the polyps and several polyps even seem to lack them completely.

Colour. Preserved colony completely white, sclerites colorless. Alive, the colony was pinkish with white polyps ( Fig. 2 a).

Etymology

The species is named after the Comau Fjord, the type locality.

Habitat, distribution and abundance

The species can be found from shallow water down to at least 30 m along the exposed coast south of Dichato (approx. 37°S). Within the fjord region it inhabits the channels as well as the inner fjords where it was even sampled in shallow water habitats that are strongly influenced by a low salinity layer (see material and Fig. 5 ). It is very abundant in the mouth of the Comaufjord and around Chiloe Island between 3 and 15 m where it can cover important proportions of rock and secondary hard susbstratum. In the region south of the Peninsula Taitao it was only found in the Bernardo fjord area, but not in the Tempano (Iceberg) Fjord that is strongly influenced by glacial sediment. Incrustatus comauensis represents one more species with a continuous distribution crossing the traditionally assumed zoogeographical limit between the Peruvian and Magellanic Provinces at approximately 42°S ( Brattström & Johanssen, 1983; Häussermann & Försterra, 2005).

Variability

When alive, the color of the colonies can vary to some degree. They can be pinkish ( Fig. 2 a, f–h), completely white ( Fig. 2 d), faintly orange ( Fig. 2 c), or whitish with pink calyces ( Fig. 2 e). The polyps always seem to be white.

Some colonies clearly form stolons ( Fig. 1 b, 2c–d), others cover the substrate completely ( Fig. 1 a, c, 2a–b, e–h). Several types of substrate were found: Crepidula and mytilid shells, polychaete tubes, the axis of gorgonians ( Primnoella sp.), or the colonies were simply overgrowing rocks.

The length of the calyces also varies to some extent, from hardly protruding above the coenenchyme to several mm long.

Finally, the sclerites do vary somewhat; for comparison the sclerites of specimens growing on a mytilid shell ( Fig. 4 a–c) and polychaete tubes ( Fig. 4 e–g) are also presented. Notably, the specimens growing on gorgonian axes or polychaete tubes have more sclerites with sculpture of the outer surface rounded and smoother than that of the inner surface ( Fig. 4 g). Several specimens have hardly any polyp spindles.

Remarks

In the family Clavulariidae , Incrustatus comauensis most closely resembles Cryptophyton goddardi Williams, 2000 . But it differs in having sclerites in the form of radiates and derivatives of these; especially, the sclerites with rounded sculpture on the outer surface, smoother than that of inner surface, are completely absent in C. goddardi . This latter sclerite type is found in species of Paratelesto Utinomi, 1958 , and Telesto Lamouroux, 1812 , but these taxa have arborescent colony shapes.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Incrustatus comauensis n. gen., n. sp.: a, holotype RMNH Coel. 33864; b, paratype RMNH Coel. 33865; c, paratype RMNH Coel. 33866; d, detail of c. Scale 1 cm, applies to a – c.

FIGURE 2. Live colonies of Incrustatus comauensis n. gen., n. sp.: a, RMNH Coel. 33864, holotype on Crepidula shell; b, RMNH Coel. 33872, on Crepidula shell; c, ZSM 20060119, on mytilid shell; d, RMNH Coel. 33870, on rock; e, RMNH Coel. 33867, on polychaete tubes; f, MZUC­UCCC 31594, on polychaete tubes; g, RMNH Coel. 33868 (DSCN 2020) on gorgonian axis; h, MZUC­UCCC 31590, on Crepidula.

FIGURE 3. Incrustatus comauensis n. gen., n. sp., sclerites of holotype RMNH Coel. 33864: b, end view of sclerite; f, from polyps; others from coenenchyme. Scale 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 4. Incrustatus comauensis n. gen., n. sp.: a – d, sclerites of paratype RMNH Coel. 33865; e – g, sclerites of paratype RMNH Coel. 33866; d, from polyp, others from coenenchyme; a, e, radiates; b, f, ovals; c, g, sclerites with sculpture of the outer surface rounded and smoother. Scale 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 5. Incrustatus comauensis n. gen., n. sp., maps showing its distribution: a, southern Chilean fjord region, S 1 – S 4 are additional sites where the studied material was collected, small quadrates indicate areas that are shown in b and c; b, sampling sites in the Comau Fjord with its lateral fjords Cahuelmo (south) and Quintupeu (north) and Lilihuapi Island (12), 5 is the type locality of Incrustatus comauensis; c, sampling sites in the Bernardo Fjord (B 1 – B 4) and along the Isla Caldcleugh (C 1 – C 3).