Alcyonium jorgei, Ofwegen, Van, 2007

Ofwegen, Van, 2007, The genus Alcyonium (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Alcyoniidae) in Chile, Zootaxa 1607, pp. 1-19 : 12-14

Alcyonium jorgei n. sp.

( Figs. 1 g, 2d–e, 3d, 8)

Holotype and one microscope slide: RMNH Coel. 34942, Chile, Puyuhuapi, 44°23'34.5" S, 72°34'54.9" W, depth 30 m, coll. VH & GF, 10 January 2000.

Paratypes: MZUC-UCCC 32682, two colonies, Chile, Puerto Cisnes, 44°43'29.1" S, 72°41'24.2" W, depth 15–25 m, coll. VH & GF, 4 January 2000; RMNH Coel. 34943, two microscope slides, same data; ZSM 20061194, two colonies, Chile, Puyuhuapi, 44°23'34.5" S, 72°34'54.9" W, coll. VH & GF, 27 February 1998; RMNH Coel. 34945, two microscope slides, same data.

Other material: RMNH Coel. 34944, one colony and two microscope slides, Chile, Canal Ofhidro, 48°09'52.1" S, 74°23'48.4" W, steep wall, low diversity, few overhangs, depth 25 m, coll. VH, 16 March 2006.

Description. Holotype 3.5 cm high and 2.5 cm wide, consisting of a very short stalk only a few mm long, and a main stem with short slender lobes of about 1 cm length ( Fig. 1 g).

Polyps are distributed all over the stem and lobes, but are most abundant at the end of the lobes. Calyces are dome shaped and all polyps are partly retracted with tentacles withdrawn. The polyps are up to about 1.00 mm wide and high.

Anthocodiae have a collaret composed of 5 to 6 rows of spindles ( Fig. 3 d). The collaret spindles are up to 0.50 mm long, with simple tubercles ( Fig. 8 a). Points have spindles similar to those of the collaret; with clubs present distally, up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 8 b). In the tentacles spiny rods are found, up to 0.25 mm long ( Fig. 8 c).

The surface layer of the lobes has clubs, up to 0.20 mm long, with spiny heads ( Fig. 8 d); the interior has spindles with simple tubercles, up to 0.35 mm long ( Fig. 8 e).

The surface layer of the stalk has short clubs, up to 0.10 mm long ( Fig. 8 f), and capstans, which are slightly longer than the clubs ( Fig. 8 g); the interior of the stalk contains spindles and rods, up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 8 h).

Colour. Alive ( Fig. 2 d–e) and preserved the colonies are yellowish to orange; smallest tentacular sclerites are colourless, all other sclerites yellow.

Etymology. The species is named after the ex-rector of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Chile, Jorge Gonzalez Foster.

Habitat, distribution and abundance. The species was regularly found in the continental fjords of the Northern Patagonian Zone and possibly (see remarks) once in the fjords of the Central Patagonian Zone. (44°23'34.5'' S, 72°34'54.9'' W (probably 41°35' S to 44°50' S, photographs only) to possibly 48°09'52.1'' S, 74°23'48.4'' W), in depths below 15– 20 m. It inhabits moderately steep to vertical rocky substratum. In contrast to A. glaciophilum , which also is found in the inner fjords, it appears only at sites with low to moderate sedimentation.

Variability. One colony of MZUC-UCCC 32682 has two lobes, the other is unbranched, and only 1 cm long; RMNH Coel. 34944 is also unbranched, but 2 cm long. The two colonies of ZSM 20061194 are both branched, one with only one side lobe.

Both ZSM 20061194 colonies are whitish; their sclerites are dull yellow and many are broken.

RMNH Coel. 34944 is yellowish orange, with all anthocodial sclerites colourless, and the base with a mixture of colourless and yellow sclerites.

Remarks. Because RMNH Coel. 34944 has a rather long stalk, compared with the other specimens, SEM images of its sclerites are presented as well ( Fig. 8 i–k). It shows capstans and clubs similar to those of the other material, but the sclerites of the interior of the base ( Fig. 8 j–k) are more irregularly shaped. As only one specimen was available with these characters we tentatively included it in this species.

Alcyonium jorgei n. sp. resembles A. yepayek n. sp.; both species have digitate colonies, and both have similar rods in the interior of the colony. A. jorgei differs in having more slender lobes, and clubs with more spiny heads, and mostly without central wart.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Live colonies; a, holotype Alcyonium glaciophilum; b – c, A. haddoni; d – e, A. jorgei; f, holotype A. roseum; g, paratype A. roseum; h, A. yepayek.

FIGURE 3. Lateral views of polyp armature; a, RMNH Coel. 34935, holotype Alcyonium glaciophilum; b, RMNH Coel. 34940, A. haddoni; c, RMNH Coel. 34938, A. haddoni; d, RMNH Coel. 34942, holotype A. jorgei; e, RMNH Coel. 34946, holotype A. roseum. Scale 0.10 mm.

FIGURE 8. Alcyonium jorgei n. sp.; a – h, holotype RMNH Coel. 34942; i – k, RMNH Coel. 34944; a, collaret spindles; b, point clubs; c, tentacular rods; d, clubs of surface layer of top of colony; e, spindles of interior of top of colony; f, clubs of surface layer of base of colony; g, capstans of surface of base of colony; h, spindles and rods of interior of base of colony; i, clubs of surface layer of base of colony; j, spindles of interior of base of colony; k, rods of interior of base of colony. Scales 0.10 mm, that at a applies also to e, that at f to all others.

FIGURE 1. a, RMNH Coel. 34935, holotype Alcyonium glaciophilum n. sp.; b, A. grandis ZSM 20061187; c, A. grandis RMNH Coel. 34936; d, two syntypes of A. haddoni; e, A. haddoni RMNH Coel. 34937; f, A. haddoni RMNH Coel. 34938; g, RMNH Coel. 34942, holotype of A. jorgei; h, RMNH Coel. 34946, holotype of A. roseum; i, RMNH Coel. 34948, holotype of A. yepayek. Scales 1 cm, that at c only applies to c, that at h only to h.