Cirripathes paucispina Brook, 1889 : pp. 86–87 Cirripathes paucispina , van Pesch, 1910: 39 1914: 174–175 Stichopathes paucispina , Opresko and Genin, 1990: 307–310 Description of two new genera and two new species of antipatharian corals in the family Aphanipathidae (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Antipatharia) Opresko, Dennis M. Bo, Marzia Stein, David P. Evankow, Ann Distel, Daniel L. Brugler, Mercer R. Zootaxa 2021 2021-05-03 4966 2 161 174 8KPVK (Brook, 1889) Brook 1889 [151,714,1677,1704] Anthozoa Aphanipathidae Aphanostichopathes Animalia Antipatharia 8 169 Cnidaria species paucispina  ( Figs. 6–8)    Cirripathes paucispina Brook, 1889: pp. 86–87, pl. 12, fig. 6.  not   Cirripathes paucispina, van Pesch, 1910: 39;  1914: 174–175.     Stichopathes paucispina, Opresko and Genin, 1990: 307–310, fig. 4–5.   Diagnosis.Colonies unbranched, long and coiled at the distal end. Polypar spines up to 0.34 mmtall and abpolypar spines about two-thirds that size. Four to five rows of spines visible in lateral view, with spines 0.9–1.2 mmapart in each row; resulting density of about 2 spines per millimeter in each row. Spines with 15–25 small conical tubercles usually confined to near the apex. Polyps up to 3.4 mmin transverse diameter, arranged in a single series, with 2.5 to 4 polyps per cm.   Material Examined.   Holotype: NHMUK1873.4.26.1, locality unknown (subsample: NMNH SEMstubs 14, 15).  Other material: MCZ90344 ( syntypeof  Stichopathes pourtalesiBrook),  NW Atlantic, off Santa Cruz, U.S. Virgin Islands,  Blakesta. 131, 1060 m (subsample: NMNH SEMstub 305);  USNM 82988, NE Pacific, Opal Seamount, R/ V   AtlantisII, 30.5º N, 121.913º W,  1350 m, coll. L. Levin,  23 Oct. 1984( NMNH SEMstub 12).   Description of holotype.Information provided by Brook (1889)indicates that the type specimen of this species consists of two pieces totaling 23 cmin length, and with a maximum stem diameter of 1.5 mm. Brook (1889)did not indicate whether either piece was coiled. The skeletal spines were reported to be short, conical, with a blunt, “slightly rugose” apex. The illustration of the spines provided by Brook (1889, Pl. 12, fig. 6) is of relatively low, eight-fold magnification; however, based on this illustration, the height of the spines can be roughly estimated to be about 0.3 mm. From the same illustration it can also be estimated that the spines within each row are 0.9 to 1.4 mmapart. Brook reported that spines were arranged in six longitudinal rows, “four of which could be seen from one aspect” and within each row they were said to be very distant, “3 to 3.5 spine lengths” apart (equivalent to 0.9–1.2 mmbased on a spine height of 0.3 mm). The type specimen of  S. paucispinawas re-described by Opresko and Genin (1990)who found that the spines on a segment of the stem about 1 mmin diameter (excluding the spines) were up to 0.34 mmtall on the polyp side of the axis and up to 0.24 mmon the abpolypar side, similar to the size indicated by Brook’s illustration. Opresko & Genin reported up to five rows of spines visible in lateral view, and the spacing within the rows 0.86–1.14 mm(equivalent to only 2 spines per mm). The spines ( Fig. 6A-B) were found to be covered with a variable number of small conical tubercles from the apex down the sides about two-fifths the distance to the base. Tubercles are present on both the polypar and abpolypar spines, and as many as 15–20 tubercles can be seen on the polypar spines in lateral view (including those on the distal and proximal edges). Brook did not report that the spines possessed tubercles although in his illustration there are indications that tubercles are present. It should be noted that only a small section of the holotypewas available for examination with the SEM, and it is known that in species of unbranched black corals the shape of the spines and the tubercle density may vary on sections of the stem having different diameters; therefore, it cannot be assumed that the tubercle density reported here for the type remains the same on all sections of the stem. Although Brook could not see any polyps on the type, Opresko and Genin (1990)found the dried remains of five polyps, large ones alternating with small ones. The larger polyps are 2.3–3.4 mmin transverse diameter ( Fig. 6C) and the smaller ones 0.8–1.2 mmin transverse diameter. The density of the polyps ranged from 2.5 to 3 polyps per cm.   Remarks. Because Brook (1889)did not see any polyps on the typespecimen, he questionably assigned the species to  Cirrhipathes(using the incorrect spelling  Cirripathes); a genus defined by polyps being on multiple sides of the axis. Reexamination of the typerevealed the presence of polyps in a single row.   Description of non-type specimens. Of the specimens assigned to this species, the one collected at Blakesta. 131 from 1060 moff the U.S. Virgin Islands(MCZ 90344, Fig. 7A) comes closest to the typein terms of the size of the spines; the polypar spines being up to 0.33 mmtall and the abpolypar spines 0.2 mm( Fig. 7B). The spines shown in Figure 7B and 7Cappear taller and narrower than those in the type, but this is likely due to the fact that the diameter of the stem is only 0.41mm, less than half that of the typeshown in Figure 6A. This specimen shows the same wide and variable spacing of the spines and the same small number of rows (4 or 5) as in the type. It differs from the typein that the spines appear to have a slightly greater number of tubercles (around 25 per view, Fig. 7C), however, as noted above tubercle density may vary depending on where the spines are located on the stem. The polyp density in this specimen is 3–4 per cm which is slightly greater than that in the type(2.5–3 per cm). In the specimen collected on Opal Seamount in the northeastern Pacific ( Fig. 8), the polypar spines were found to be 0.28–0.32 mmtall and the abpolypar spines 0.18–0.24 mm, and about 15 distinct conical tubercles can be seen in lateral view. Five rows of spines can be seen in lateral view and the spines within each row are spaced up to 1.2 mmapart with only 2 spines per mm. The polyps are up to 2.8 mmin transverse diameter and the polyp density is 3 per cm. On a section of stem 1.8 mmin diameter the spines are distorted in shape, and some double spines are present ( Fig. 8C).   FIGURE 8.  Aphanostichopathes paucispina(Brook), USNM 82988: A. section of stem 0.65 mm in diameter; B. single spine; C. section of stem 1.8 mm in diameter. Images from NMNH SEM stub 12.  Comparisons.  Aphanostichopathes paucispina(Brook)resembles  Aphanostichopathes spiessi( Opresko & Genin, 1990), in that both have widely spaced spines with tubercles near the apex. The major differences between the two species are in the size and shape of the spines and in the size of the polyps. In  A. paucispinathe spines have a more acute apex and can be up to 0.34 mmtall on a section of stem about 1 mmin diameter or larger, whereas in  A. spiessithe spines are generally blunter and not more than 0.20 mmin height. The two species also differ in the relative development of the polypar and abpolypar spines. In  A. paucispinathe polypar spines can be up to twice as long as the abpolypar spines, but in  A. spiessithey are usually equal in length, or only slightly longer on the polyp side of the axis. In terms of polyp size, the polyps in  A. spiessiare usually less than 2 mmin transverse diameter whereas those in  A. paucispinaare up to 3.4 mmtall.   Distribution.The species is known from the North Atlantic and the NE Pacific. Specimens assigned to this species were collected at depths greater than 1000 m. 3117076306 NHMUK, NMNH, SEM 9 170 1 holotype 3117076302 MCZ 90344 [204,1033,259,286] MCZ 9 170 2 syntype 3117076301 NMNH, SEM NW Atlantic & Blake United States Virgin Islands Santa Cruz 9 170 1 Saint Croix 3117076309 [1014,1175,295,321] USNM United States Virgin Islands 9 170 USNM 82988 1 Saint Croix 3117076303 [290,1337,330,357] 1984-10-23 NMNH, SEM L. Levin United States Virgin Islands 1350 30.5 5555 -121.913 9 170 1 Saint Croix