Melithaea nodosa Wright & Studer, 1889

Matsumoto, Asako K. & van Ofwegen, Leen P., 2015, Melithaeidae of Japan (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) re-examined with descriptions of 11 new species, ZooKeys 522, pp. 1-127 : 26-27

Taxon classification Animalia Alcyonacea Melithaeidae

Melithaea nodosa Wright & Studer, 1889 Figures 66 a–c, 67, 68, 69, 74

Melitodes nodosa : Wright and Studer 1889: 178, pl. 40 fig. 10 (off New Hebrides, Hyalonema Ground Japan); Kükenthal 1919: 141; 1924: 57.

Acabaria nodosa : Hickson 1937: 178.

Not Melitodes nodosa : Thomson 1911: 876 (South Africa).

Material examined.

Syntype, BMNH 1947.3.22.6, New Hebrides, Challenger st. 177, 60-120 fms (86-219 m), dried sclerites, coll. Prof. S.J. Hickson; syntype, BMNH 89.5.27.117, Hyalonema -Ground (Nishi-no yodomi), South of Japan, 35°11'N, 139°28'E, Challenger st. 232, 345 fms (631 m), 12 May 1875, figured specimen (= Acabaria nodosa Prof. Hickson), old label book 2, p. 12; syntype, BMNH 89.5.27.118 Hyalonema -ground (Nishi-no yodomi), south of Japan, 35°11'N, 139°28'E, Challenger st. 232, 345 fms (631 m), bottom green mud, 12 May 1875, figured specimen (= Acabaria nodosa Prof. Hickson), old label book 2, p. 12.

Re-description.

BMNH 89.5.27.117 (Fig. 66b): Points with slightly bent spindles up to 0.20 mm long, distal end with more developed tubercles (Fig. 67a). Collaret with bent spindles up to 0.25 mm long, middle part with more developed tubercles (Fig. 67b). Tentacles with platelets, the larger ones crescent-shaped with irregular projections (Fig. 67c). These platelets are up to 0.10 mm long. Pharynx with straight spiny rods, up to 0.035 mm long (Fig. 67d). Coenenchyme with spindles (Fig. 67e) and unilaterally spinose spindles (Fig. 67f), 0.08-0.23 mm long, with simple tubercles. The calyces with additional clubs, up to 0.20 mm long (Fig. 67g).

Color.

Reddish brown, polyps yellow, axis yellowish-red; reddish nodes. Sclerites yellow, those of the polyps a bit paler, the smallest tentacle and the pharynx sclerites colorless.

Variation.

BMNH 89.5.27.118 (Figs 66c; 68) and BMNH 1947.3.22.6 (Fig. 66a) have similar color patterns, BMNH 1947.3.22.6 has wider coenenchymal sclerites (Fig. 69).

Distribution.

New Hebrides, Sagami Bay (Fig. 74).

Remarks.

Wright and Studer (1889) mentioned that the colony may have been about 130 mm in height and 60 to 80 mm in diameter. Only BMNH 89.5.27.117 has this size (Fig. 66b), BMNH 89.5.27.118 is much smaller (Fig. 66c), BMNH 1947.3.22.6 consists of only a few fragments (Fig. 66a). Based on these colony sizes we conclude that these authors used BMNH 89.5.27.117 for their description.