Muricea nariformis Aurivillius, 1931

Breedy, Odalisca & Guzman, Hector M., 2016, A revision of the genus Muricea Lamouroux, 1821 (Anthozoa, Octocorallia) in the eastern Pacific. Part II, ZooKeys 581, pp. 1-69 : 54

Taxon classification Animalia Alcyonacea Plexauridae

Muricea nariformis Aurivillius, 1931 Figures 41, 42

Muricea nariformis Aurivillius, 1931: 109-111.

Material.

Holotype. SMNH 1121, alcohol preserved, locality unknown, Leg. Salmin 1873, Rijksmuseum, No. 64.

Description.

The holotype consists of two branches, about 6 cm long and 3 cm wide each (Fig. 41A). The branching is dichotomous and bifurcate up to 3 times. The branches bifurcate at angles 45°-50°, 7.5-10 mm apart. Branches and branchlets are all of similar thickness, 56 mm in diameter, with rounded tips slightly expanded. Unbranched terminal ends are up to 24 mm long. Axes are brownish. The calyces are all around the branches and close together. They are mostly low cones with a slightly elevated margin around the polyps, 0.8-1.2 mm in height (Fig. 41B), and the abaxial border slightly more prominent and curved upwards (Fig. 41B). The coenenchyme is thick, composed of brownish orange and light brown to whitish sclerites (Fig. 41 C–D). As in many other species in this genus, a division of sclerite layers is not clear and the coenenchyme is formed of a combination of several types of sclerites intermingled. The coenenchymal and calycular sclerites are mostly of the same type. Few unilateral spinous spindles are present; the larger ones are rather leaf-like spindles with a thorny lateral quill and wide cylindrical forms (Fig. 42A). The larger ones are covered with warts almost up to the thorny end, and the others have a pronounced upper or lateral ridge of large spines. The spindles are 0.2-0.52 mm long and 0.04-0.28 mm wide (Fig. 42A). Warty spindles and some cylinder-like, 0.25-0.32 mm long and 0.06-0.15 mm wide (Fig. 42B), compose the axial sheath and the inner coenenchyme. Anthocodial sclerites are orange warty rods and irregular forms, 0.05-0.17 mm long and 0.01-0.035 mm wide (Figs 41C, small orange sclerites, 42C). Colour of the colony is brownish orange; the lower part of the branches is of a lighter hue.

Distribution.

Unknown.

Remarks.

The species was described by Aurivillius (1931) based on specimens from an unknown locality in the southern Pacific. He described the species as new without comparing with any type material and remarked that the new species was similar to Muricea robusta ( Aurivillius 1931). The two species indeed have some similarity discussed below. Presently we do not have specimens matching this species.