Telesto nelleae Bayer, 1961

Devictor, Susan T. & Morton, Steve L., 2010, Identification guide to the shallow water (0 - 200 m) octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight 2599, Zootaxa 2599 (1), pp. 1-62 : 27

Telesto nelleae Bayer, 1961

( Figure 26 )

Telesto nelleae Bayer, 1961:48 ; Figs. 8a–e , 9d .— Cairns et al. 2002:33.

Material examined. USNM 50703 (holotype), 90 m, off Cape Hatteras, NC, October 17, 1885 . USNM 61225, 104 m, off North Carolina, May 14, 1981 .

Remarks. Telesto nelleae is similar to T. fruticulosa , but can be distinguished by the presence of elongate, spindle-like sclerites in the coenenchyme, and the presence of a sparse cluster of flat rods restricted to the base of the tentacles. Granular and branching sclerites in addition to the elongate spindles are present in the coenenchyme. The color of the colony is yellowish brown when preserved in ethanol.

Atlantic distribution: North Carolina , 27–227 m ; Cuba, 210–298 m ; Bahamas, 1153 m ( Bayer, 1961;

NMNH collections).

Figures

FIGURE 8. A, B, cross and C, D, longitudinal sections of holaxonian octocorals, showing axis (Ax), cross-chambered inner core (In. co.), loculi (Loc.), polyps (Pol.) and coenenchyme (Coen). The axes of the plexaurids Euplexaura sp. (A) and Thesea nivea (C), and the gorgoniid Leptogorgia virgulata (B, D) are displayed for comparison of axis characteristics. (Image A modified from Fabricus & Alderslade, 2001).

FIGURE 9. a) Pseudodrifa nigra, basal disc indicated; b) holdfast of Muricea pendula; c) encrusting colony of Scleranthelia rugosa (from Bayer 1981a).

FIGURE 26. Telesto nelleae: A, sclerites (USNM 61225): a–c) spindles from calyx; d–f) granular sclerites from calyx; g, h) sclerites from coenenchyme; i) flat rods from polyp tentacle (scale bar = 0.1 mm); B, preserved specimen (USNM 50703, holotype) (scale bar = 1 cm).