Balanophyllia, Wood, 1844

Filander, Zoleka N., Kitahara, Marcelo V., Cairns, Stephen D., Sink, Kerry J. & Lombard, Amanda T., 2021, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from South Africa, ZooKeys 1066, pp. 1-198 : 1

Balanophyllia Balanophyllia Balanophyllia Balanophyllia Balanophyllia malouinensis Squires, 1961

Fig. 8C, D

Balanophyllia malouinensis Squires, 1961: 15, 39-40, 46, fig. 5. - Squires 1969: 17-18. pl. 6, map 2. - Cairns 1979: 206. - Cairns 1982: 52-53, pl. 16, figs 4-7, pl. 17, figs 1-3, pl. 18, fig. 7. -Cairns 2005: 43.

Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) malouinensis . - Cairns 2001: 17.

Type locality.

South of East Falkland Island, Atlantic archipelago (52°32'00"S, 61°15'00"W); 358 m ( Cairns 1982).

Type material.

The holotype is deposited at the AMNH ( Cairns 1982).

Material examined.

DEFF_BD17-INV02.B (2 specimens): Southern margin, 27 km from Cintsa Mouth / 25 km off Bulura Estuary, 33°01'22.58"S, 28°17'18.05"E; 122 m. SAMC_A073031 (3 specimens): Eastern margin, 12 km from Port St. Johns / 11 km off Bulolo Estuary, 31°44'17.87"S, 29°32'42.00"E; 300 m. SAMC_A073085 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 7 km south of Ponta Do Ouro / 8 km off Kosi-Kumpungwini (Sifungwe) Estuary, 26°54'40.32"S, 32°55'05.88"E; 47 m. SAMC_A073183 (3 specimens): Eastern margin, 27 km from Richards Bay / 40 km off Mlalazi Estuary, 29°00'24.11"S, 32°12'00.00"E; 152 m. SAMC_A073184 (2 specimens): Eastern margin, 39 km from Scottburgh / 36 km off Fafa Estuary, 30°34'00.00"S, 31°00'00.00"E; 900- 625 m. SAMC_A073186 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 20 km from Durban / 13 km off Mbokodweni Estuary, 30°01'05.87"S, 31°03'11.88"E; 150 m. SAM_H833 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 11 km from East London / 5 km off Gouda Estuary, 33°05'03.24"S, 27°49'33.40"E; 146- 238 m. SAM_H3065 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 11 km from East London / 5 km off Gouda Estuary, 33°05'03.24"S, 27°49'33.40"E; 146- 238 m. SAM_H3066 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 11 km from East London / 5 km off Gouda Estuary, 33°05'03.24"S, 27°49'33.40"E; 146- 238 m. SAM_H3067 (15 specimens): Southern margin, 11 km from East London / 5 km off Gouda Estuary, 33°05'03.24"S, 27°49'33.40"E; 146- 238 m. SAM_H3068 (3 specimens): Southern margin, 14 km from Mazeppa Bay / 20 km off Great Kei Estuary, 32°34'00.00"S, 28°33'00.00"E; 174 m. SAM_H3069 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 11 km from East London / 5 km off Gouda Estuary, 33°05'03.24"S, 27°49'33.40"E; 146- 238 m. SAM_H3070 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 25 km from Gonubie / 24 km off Gqunube Estuary, 33°06'17.99"S, 28°10'59.99"E; 155 m.

Description.

Corallum ceratoid to sub-cylindrical, straight to slightly curved, attached to substrate by a robust pedicel (PD:GCD = 0.30-0.6) that expands into a thin encrusting base. Calice circular to elliptical (GCD:LCD = 1.0-1.1), with serrate calicular margin. Largest specimen examined (SAM_H3069) 14.5 × 13.4 mm in CD, 4.0 mm in PD, and 24.0 mm in H. Synapticulotheca well developed and porous, visible at calicular margin. Costae poorly developed, separated by porous and thin intercostal striae, and covered with fine pointed granules. Epitheca thin, irregularly banded. Corallum white.

Septa hexamerally arranged in five cycles, last cycle being incomplete, according to the formula: S1-2 > S4 > S3 > S5 (≤ 52 septa). S1-2 most exsert, independent, and reach columella deeper in fossa with straight axial margins. Higher cycle septa (S3-4) progressively less exsert. S31/4 the width of S2, with straight to slightly sinuous axial margins. S4 as wide as S2 and arranged in a Pourtalès plan: in each half-system a pair of S4 fuses before S3 and extend to columella as one septum with laciniate axial margins. S5, if present, sometimes restricted to calicular margin, or arranged in Pourtalès plan before common S4. Septal faces bear granules sparsely arranged. Fossa of moderate depth, containing a thick and elongate spongy columella.

Distribution.

Regional: Southern to eastern margin of South Africa, extending from off East London extending towards Kosi-Kumpungwini (Sifungwe) Estuary (7 km south of Ponta Do Ouro: Mozambique); 47-900 m. Elsewhere: Sub-Antarctic and Antarctica ( Cairns 1982); Chile ( Cairns et al. 2005); 75-1137 m.

Remarks.

Although the examined specimens closely resemble Balanophyllia (B.) malouinensis in their: (i) spongy columella, (ii) synapticulotheca being restricted to the calicular margin, (iii) thin epitheca, and (iv) poorly developed costae, variation in the septal development exists. The examined material consistently has exsert septa (particularly the primaries) unlike those examined by Cairns (1982) which are not exsert. Furthermore, the examined specimens have the septal formula S1-2 > S4 > S3 > S5, whereas that of B. malouinensis is S1-2 > S5 > S3 > S4. Nonetheless, dendrophylliids are known to exhibit plasticity, making it difficult to evaluate intra-specific variations.

Figures

Figure 8. A, B Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) diffusa A (USNM 91782, off Port St. Johns, 138 m) calicular view B (USNM 91780, off Kosi Bay Estuary, 74 m) calicular view C, D Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia Balanophyllia) sp. cf. Balanophyllia Balanophyllia malouinensis C (SAM _ H 3069, off East London, 146 - 238 m) calicular view D (SAM _ H 3068, off Mazeppa Bay, 174 m) lateral view E, F Balanophyllia (Eupsammia) stimpsonii (SAM _ H 3831, off Cape Point, 97 - 99 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, H Dendrophyllia arbuscula (SAMC _ A 073119, off Cape Vidal, 65 - 70 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J Dendrophyllia cladonia I (SAM _ H 1445, off Plettenberg Bay, 146 m) calicular view J (SAM _ H 2833, off Gonubie, 155 m) lateral view K, L Dendrophyllia cornigera K (USNM 91827, off Durban, 232 m) calicular view L (SAM _ H 3841, off Pringle Bay, depth unknown) lateral view M, N Dendrophyllia dilatata (SAMC _ A 073016, off Richards Bay, 500 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Dendrophyllia ijimai O (USNM 91844, off Shaka's Rock, 68 - 70 m) calicular view P (SAMC _ A 090121, off Port Dunford, 85 m) lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm (A - I, K, M, O); 100 mm (J, L, N, P).