Trimuricea persica, Samimi-Namin, Kaveh & Van Ofwegen, Leen P., 2016

Samimi-Namin, Kaveh & Van Ofwegen, Leen P., 2016, A revision of Trimuricea Gordon, 1926 (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Plexauridae) with the description of six new species, Zootaxa 4105 (1), pp. 1-44 : 29

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4105.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:621E2759-DDBF-4ADC-A1EC-3CA8F581C336
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6077945
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E8793-990C-D973-D4C0-983083DC30F9
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Trimuricea persica
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Trimuricea persica View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 21 View FIGURE 21 a, 22–23)

T. aff. reticulata View in CoL ; Samimi-Namin & van Ofwegen 2009a: 43.

NOT Echinomuricea reticulata Thomson & Simpson, 1909: 206 View in CoL . (= Trimuricea reticulata View in CoL ).

Material: Holotype, RMNH Coel. 38785, Iran, Farur Island, Persian Gulf, coll. S.A. Mohtarami.

Description. The holotype is 16 cm high and 22 cm wide, branched in one plane, with many anastomoses forming a network ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 a). The stem is 1 cm long and 0.5 cm thick, and the branches are 3–4 mm thick. The end branches in some parts of the colony have lost their coenenchymal tissue and the axis is visible. The calyces are dome shaped, closely set to each other, and situated all around the branches. They are up to 0.5 mm high and 0.75 mm in diameter.

The points have triradiates ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 a), along with curved, hockeystick or boot-shaped sclerites, or spindles ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 b), 0.15–0.25 mm long. The upper ray of the triradiates and upper part of the spindles is slightly echinulate or tuberculate for up to 0.18 mm. The collaret spindles are 0.15–0.35 mm long ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 c); the middle part of the convex side is more tuberculate than the concave side and both the ends. The concave side is relatively smooth in the center, with some tuberculation at both ends. A few tentacle scales are present, up to 0.10 mm long ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 d).

The calyces have thornscales, 0.20–0.40 mm long, with one or more echinulate thorns up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 23 View FIGURE 23 a). The smaller ones do not have lateral arms.

The coenenchyme has spindles, 0.20–0.60 mm long. The long ones have large, densely placed complex tubercles and short ones have simple tubercles ( Fig. 23 View FIGURE 23 b).

Colour. The live colony was reddish-purple in colour, preserved it is brown. All sclerites are colourless. There is no information about the colour of polyps.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin persicus (Persian). It refers to the Persian Gulf where the species was found.

Remarks. This species resembles Trimuricea tuberculosa n. sp. in the tuberculation of the spindles, but differs in having less strongly tuberculated polyp sclerites. It also resembles T. spinosa , but differs in lacking many thornscales with more than one thorn

This species was described by Samimi-Namin & van Ofwegen (2009a: 43) as Trimuricea aff. reticulata . After examination of a fragment of the material described by Thomson & Simpson (1909) as Echinomuricea reticulata (BMNH 1933.3.13.18: = Trimuricea reticulata ) it became obvious that our 2009 identification was incorrect. Trimuricea reticulata differs in having far less tuberculate coenenchymal spindles, which are narrower. It also has calicular thornscales with long narrow thorns and less tuberculate roots.