Solenoscyphus candelabrum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 88847458-73D4-42B1-B553-4AD070BC2AFA

Figs 3A, 4 A–B; Table 2

Diagnosis

Colonies regularly pinnate, stems polysiphonic, cladia always monosiphonic; nodes indistinct; stem internodes composed of an apophysis, an axillary hydrotheca, two alternate hydrothecae above, another apophysis opposite to the former, and an axillary hydrotheca; cladial internodes, each with one hydrotheca; hydrothecae alternate throughout, long, tubular, free part distinctly concave, facing upward; operculum deciduous.

Etymology

From the Latin candēlābrum, meaning "candlestick", with reference to the shape of the hydrothecae, the whole colony resembling a phantasmagoric candelabrum with an infinity of arms. Used as a noun in apposition.

Material examined

Holotype

NEW CALEDONIA: campaign Bathus 4, station DW923, 18°52’ S, 163°24’ E, 502– 470 m, 6 Aug. 1994; 9.0 cm high, sterile colony (IK-2012-10292).

Paratypes

NEW CALEDONIA: data as for holotype; four sterile colonies 5.7–12.0 cm high (IK-2012-10293).

Description

Stems up to 12 cm high, arising from disc-shaped hydrorhizae firmly attached to substrate; strongly polysiphonic basally, uniformly grading to monosiphonic towards apices; auxiliary tubes running up, nearly parallel to main tube and establishing occasional anastomoses with each other. Nodes generally poorly indicated, though division into internodes with apparently unusual repetitive sequence: proximal node, short lateral apophysis (supporting a cladium), axillary hydrotheca, two alternate hydrothecae above, second cladial apophysis on opposite side to former, axillar hydrotheca, and distal node. Cladia pinnately arranged, given off at about 70° to stem, up to 3 cm long; straight, unbranched, exclusively monosiphonic; inserting on corresponding stem apophyses by means of short, rectangular, ahydrothecate internodes; nodes indistinct. Hydrothecae of both stem and cladia biseriate, alternate, and coplanar; tubular, S-shaped, facing out- and upward; a prominent internal perisarc thickening occurring along median line of lower half of abaxial wall, together with a transverse ridge arising from middle part of perisarcal thickening, and extending over both “frontal” and “dorsal” sides of theca; elsewhere perisarc relatively thin; in frontal view, aperture of hydrotheca rounded adaxially and slightly flattened abaxially; deciduous opercula rarely seen at apertures of some hydrothecae. Gonotheca unknown.