Phyllogorgia dilatata (Esper, 1806)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930903441160 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/554D1963-FFCE-FFCB-FE70-F3AC0D6E6210 |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Phyllogorgia dilatata (Esper, 1806) |
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Phyllogorgia dilatata (Esper, 1806) View in CoL
( Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 20B,B′ View Figure 20 , 22)
For the synonymy previous to 1961, see Bayer (1961: 272, text-fig. 90, pl. 10, fig. 6).
Phyllogorgia dilatata: Tixier-Durivault 1970: 159 View in CoL ; Hetzel and Castro, 1994: 94–95 (photos only).
Diagnosis
Similar to the genus, which is currently monotypic.
Description
Planar colonies. Branch axes almost always anastomose forming nets. Coenenchyme almost always forming more or less continuous lamina, by filling in meshes of axes net. ( Figure 20B,B′ View Figure 20 ). Lamina continuity variable, from almost whole colony surface to absence of lamina (and/or anastomosis) – absence of lamina very rare state, observed in a single colony UFPb 273); discontinuities in the lamina common. Colony basis spreads forming a holdfast that secures onto solid substrates. Branches thick (for a gorgoniid), at least 2 mm thick, and rounded when lamina absent. Coenenchyme smooth and polyps retract directly into it. Outer coenenchyme sclerites in two not clearly delimited layers. External layer mainly with scaphoids and internal with double cones. Scaphoids ( Figure 22A View Figure 22 ) usually with rounded ends and convex side smooth or sinuous ( Figure 22B View Figure 22 ), forming undulations perpendicular to sclerite axis; convex side undulations correspond to series of tubercles of concave side ( Figure 22C View Figure 22 ); surface of undulations commonly with small lumps. Double cones ( Figure 22D View Figure 22 ) stouter than scaphoids, with densely distributed tubercles. Scaphoids commonly smaller than double cones (maximum length 0.14–0.18 mm and 0.19–0.25 mm respectively). No coenenchymal mounds; sometimes a slight elevation around polyp aperture, possibly because of colony contraction. Polyps on both sides of lamina without special arrangement ( Figure 20B′ View Figure 20 ); on all sides of rounded branches. Anthocodial armature weak or absent. Anthocodial sclerites very small rods (c. 0.05 mm long), with a ring of small protuberances on each end. Colony size up to 650 mm high, 470 mm wide and lamina 2–4 mm thick. Colonies (live or fixed) colour: white, cream, yellow, violet, or a mixture of these colours; violet colonies seem “stressed” (parts of the coenenchyme missing, colonies contorted, etc.). Sclerites colour similar to colony.
Material
Brazil: Maranhão (MNRJ 02710, 03279); Ceará (MNRJ 00461); Pernambuco (MNRJ 00477, 00979; USNM 5258, 5305, 5307, 5308); Bahia (USNM 05248, 05304; YPM 1514, 4505, 4506; MNRJ 00462, 00466, 00886, 01185, 01396, 01687, 01688, 01981, 02202, 02724, 02727, 02740, 03152; UFPb 273, 276, 280, 283, 287, 292); Espírito Santo (MNRJ 00463, 00493, 00636, 00638, 01145, 01146, 02513, 02709); Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ 00185, 00186, 00464, 00465, 00467, 00468, 00478, 03991, 04336).
Type depository
The specimen is probably lost ( Deichmann 1936: 202; Grasshoff 1991: 344). Type locality
Esper (1806: 26) stated that his specimens probably came from South American seas (“wahrscheinlich das Meer des südlichen America”).
Geographic distribution
Off and along the coast of Brazil (here recorded from Fortaleza, CE, to Cape Frio, RJ), Manoel Luiz Reef ( Leão-de-Moura et al. 1999), Atol das Rocas, Fernando de Noronha and Trindade Island ( Lobo 1919) ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 ).
Remarks
This species is unique because of its colonial structure – anastomosing axes with coenenchyme filling in the meshes to form continuous sheets (lamina) where the polyps are positioned. The “abnormal” colonies that do not anastomose nor fill in the meshes can easily be distinguished from colonies of other Brazilian species with scaphoids by the distribution of polyps all around branches and by the thicker coenenchyme. The continuity of the lamina seems to be related to hydrodynamic characteristics of the microhabitat where the colony stands, such as intensity, direction and uniformity. Most colonies of the same site have similar degrees of lamina continuity, but sometimes much lacerated colonies are found a few steps away from colonies with more continuous lamina.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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Phyllogorgia dilatata (Esper, 1806)
| Castro, C. B., Medeiros, M. S. & Loiola, L. L. 2010 |
Phyllogorgia dilatata:
| Hetzel B & Castro CB 1994: 94 |
| Tixier-Durivault A 1970: 159 |