Kauluzoanthus undetermined

Kise, Hiroki, Montenegro, Javier, Santos, Maria E. A., Hoeksema, Bert W., Ekins, Merrick, Ise, Yuji, Higashiji, Takuo, Fernandez-Silva, Iria & Reimer, James D., 2022, Evolution and phylogeny of glass-sponge-associated zoantharians, with a description of two new genera and three new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 194, pp. 323-347 : 341-342

KAULUZOANTHUS SP.

( FIG. 9A–B )

Material examined: USNM 1424050 , French Frigate Shoals , Hawaii (23°56.649 ′ N, 166°02.187 ′ W), 1225 m, ROV, coll. RV Okeanos Explorer, NOAA on 28 February 2016, fixed in 99.5% EtOH .

Description: Non-encrusted azooxanthellate zoantharians. The examined specimen associated with Hyalonema sp. Preserved polyps cylindrical and c. 1.8–9.6 mm in height, 3.9–6.7 mm in diameter, with brown column in coloration. Thin coenenchyme completely covering stalk of Hyalonema sp. Capitulary ridges discernible, 14–16 in number when contracted. Tentacles relatively short, as long as expanded oral disk diameter. Numbers of tentacles 28–32.

Associated host: Hyalonema sp.

Distribution and habitats: North Pacific Ocean: French Frigate Shoals, Hawaii, at a depth of 1225 m.

Remarks: The genus Kauluzoanthus is known to associate with the gold coral Kulamanamana haumeaae and with several octocoral species ( Sinniger et al., 2013). However, our examined specimen was associated with Hyalonema sponges, and was genetically close to Ka. kerbyi based on the results in this study. This finding suggests that Kauluzoanthus species are not host-specific to Ku. haumeaae or other octocorals. However, we could not obtain any 16S-rDNA sequences, which contain the V5 region sensu Sinniger et al. (2005). Therefore, further integrated studies including morphological and ecological studies are needed to describe this putative new species.

Figures

Figure 9. Images of Kauluzoanthus sp.: A, in situ image of Kauluzoanthus sp. on stalks of Hyalonema sp.; B, preserved colony. Scale: 10 mm (A). Images credits: Okeanos/NOAA.