Clavulariidae, Hickson, 1894

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 : 18-19

Key to species of Clavulariidae in the South Atlantic Bight

1. Colonies encrusting hard substrate or dead colonies of octocorals. Calyces conical ( Figure 17a ), connected by ribbon ( Figure 17b ) or sheet-like stolons. Sclerites consisting of coarse plates arranged in mosaic-like manner ( Figure 17a,b ) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2

- Colonies with monopodial branching, sometimes bushy ( Figure 18a ). Calyces cylindrical. Sclerites as forked or warty rods, granules and spindles ( Figure 18b–e ), but not plates ................................................................................ 3

2. Calyces connected by slender (1 mm) ribbon-like stolons ............................................................................................. .................................................................................... Scleranthelia rugosa ( Pourtalès 1867) … growth form rugosa

- Calyces connected by sheet-like membranous stolons ................................................................................................... ........................................................................ Scleranthelia rugosa ( Pourtalès 1867) … growth form musiva Studer

3. Sclerites of coenenchyme slender, branching, thorny, not blunt ( Figure 18b ). Color in life white or pale brown; white when preserved in alcohol................................................................ Carijoa riisei ( Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860)

- Sclerites of coenenchyme coarse, rounded, blunt spindles, often one side coarser than other side ( Figure 18c–e ). Color red, pink, yellow, orange or light brown in life and when preserved in alcohol ................................................ 4

4. Sclerites dense in distal and proximal portions of tentacle rachis, oriented longitudinally at base, and in two horizontal rows in distal half of rachis; Color bright red .................................................. Telesto sanguinea Deichmann, 1936

- Sclerites present only in proximal half or base of tentacles, or if in distal portion, sparingly so; few horizontally oriented rods; Color light red, yellow, orange or brown .................................................................................................. 5

5. Base of tentacle with dense cluster of sclerites (>10) extending up to half the length of the rachis; coenenchymal sclerites mostly blunt, branching granules, no elongate spindles. Color yellow, orange, pink or red ........................... ...................................................................................................................................... Telesto fruticulosa Dana, 1846

- Base of tentacle with sparse cluster of sclerites (<10) not extending into rachis; coenenchymal sclerites blunt granules and elongate spindles. Color yellowish-brown .......................................................... Telesto nelleae Bayer, 1961

Figures

FIGURE 17. Scleranthelia rugosa; a) conical calyx of var. musiva (encrusting dead octocoral axis); b) var. rugosa, ribbon-like stolon indicated. Flat plate sclerites in mosaic-like arrangement are displayed in both illustrations (a modified image taken by F.M. Bayer; b from Bayer, 1981a)

FIGURE 18. a) Telesto sanguinea colony; sclerites of b) Carijoa riisei; c) Telesto fruticulosa; d) Telesto nelleae; e) Telesto sanguinea.