Javania cristata, Cairns, Stephen D. & Polonio, Virginia, 2013

Cairns, Stephen D. & Polonio, Virginia, 2013, New records of deep-water Scleractinia off Argentina and the Falkland Islands, Zootaxa 3691 (1) : -

Javania cristata , n. sp.

Figs. 4 K–M, 19

Javania cailleti (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) : Cairns, 1982: 46–48 (in part: Eltanin 1592, pl. 14, figs. 11–12).

Description: The corallum is ceratoid to trochoid in shape, straight or irregularly bent, and attached by a slender, stereome-reinforced pedicel, which is up to 4.9 mm in diameter (PD:GCD = 0.21–0.26). The largest specimen (PAT1208DR9) is 18.8 x 16.3 mm in CD and 35 mm in height. The holotype measures 15.0 x 12.6 mm in CD, 23.4 mm in height, and 3.3 mm in PD (broken). The ratio of GCD:LCD ranges from 1.1 to 1.7, but is most commonly about 1.2. The theca is white, porcellaneous, and smooth, except in the upper half of large coralla especially near the calice, where the C1–2 are sharply ridged, standing up to 1.7 mm in height.

The septa are hexamerally arranged in four complete cycles according to the formula: S1>S2>S3>>S4. Below a GCD of 9 mm only three cycles of septa are present, the fourth cycle appearing between a GCD range of 9–12 mm, at this transitional stage the S4 being quite rudimentary, seen only deep within the corallum. Even in mature coralla, the S4 are small, terminating several mm below the calicular edge. S1 are highly exsert (up to 6.4 mm), and have sinuous axial edges that come close to meeting in the center of the calice, defining a deep and narrow central fossa. The S2 are slightly less exsert (up to 2.2 mm) and less wide than the S1. The S3 are less exsert (up to 0.8 mm) and slightly less wide than the S2. As mentioned, the S4 are small to rudimentary, not attaining the calicular edge and thus not exsert. The lower axial edges of the S1–3 are sinuous, and the septal faces adjacent to the axial edges bear elongate obliquely oriented ridges.

Remarks. Cairns (2004) listed and keyed the ten Recent species of Javania . In this key, J. cristata is most similar to J. exserta Cairns, 1999 , but can be distinguished by its narrower pedicel diameter, sinuous axial septal edges, and less exsert septa. Furthermore, J. exserta is known only from the western Pacific at much shallower depths (91–291 m). Javania cristata is also similar to J. cailleti , especially forma nobile as described by Verrill (1885), but differs in having S1 larger than their S2 and in having extremely sinuous axial septal edges.

Distribution. Continental slope off central Argentina, and Burdwood Bank ( Fig. 19), 461–1647 m.

Material/ Types. Holotype: PAT0209DR11, USNM 1193329. Paratypes: PAT0108DR1, 10, MNCN; PAT0108DR7, 8, MNCN; PAT 0108DR11, 1, MNCN; PAT0108DR15, 1, MNCN; PAT1008DR1, 10, MNCN 2.04/ 1100; PAT1008DR4, 2, MNCN; PAT1008DR5, 1, MNCN; PAT1008DR9, 13, MNCN; PAT1008DR10, 9, MNCN 2.04/1098, and 1, USNM 1193327; PAT1008DR12, 6, MNCN; PAT1008DR13, 3, MNCN; PAT0108DR14, 2, MNCN; PAT1008BC24, 3, USNM 1193330; PAT1108DR3, 3, MNCN; PAT1108DR4, 2, MNCN; PAT1108DR5, 2, MNCN; PAT1108DR9, 1, MNCN; PAT1108DR10, 1, MNCN; PAT1108DR11, 1, MNCN; PAT1208DR1, 11, MNCN 2.04/1101; PAT1208DR7, 1, MNCN; PAT1208DR9, 6, MNCN; PAT1208DR11, 2, MNCN; PAT1208DR16, 1, MNCN; PAT0209DR3, 2, MNCN; PAT0209DR5, 3, MNCN; PAT0209DR8,2, MNCN; PAT0209DR14, 3, MNCN; PAT0209DR16, 3, MNCN, and 2, USNM 1193326; PAT0210DR7, 2, MNCN 2.04/ 1099; PAT0210DR8, 1, MNCN; PAT0210DR9, 1, MNCN 2.04/1102; ATL09Lo59, 2, USNM 1193328; Eltanin 1592, 1, USNM 47530.

Type locality. 43.981°S, 59.291°W (off Punta Clara, Argentina), 1500 m.

Etymology. From the Latin cristatus (meaning crested, ridged), an allusion to the prominently ridged C1–2.

Figures

FIGURE 4. A – B, Flabellum areum, PAT 0209 DR 4, lateral and calicular views of corallum. C – F, F. cinctutum: C, WH 197 / 71, lateral view; D – F, holotype, oblique calicular, stereo calicular, and lateral views of corallum. G – H, Javania antarctica, PAT 1008 DR 12, calicular and lateral views of corallum. I, Desmophyllum dianthus, PAT 0108 DR 11, calicular view of capense form. J, Javania antarctica, PAT 1208 DR 9, lateral view of corallum. K – M, Javania cristata: K – L, holotype, lateral and stereo calicular views of corallum; M, PAT 1008 DR 10, calicular view.