Ofwegenum colli, McFadden & Benayahu & Samimi-Namin, 2024

McFadden, Catherine S., Benayahu, Yehuda & Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, 2024, A new genus of soft coral (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea, Cladiellidae) and three new species from Indo-Pacific coral reefs, ZooKeys 1188, pp. 275-304 : 275

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1188.110617
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:528120A6-2EC0-4796-B37B-5E51FD1FE7AA
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E72328A2-B94F-4574-BBD2-BE72255AF6F6
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:E72328A2-B94F-4574-BBD2-BE72255AF6F6
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Ofwegenum colli
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ofwegenum colli sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 3A, B View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6

Material examined.

Holotype. Australia • Queensland, N.E. Bay Great Palm Island ; 18.7500°S, 146.6500°N; 6-7 m depth; 22 April 1981; coll. J. Coll; silty bottom, on a dead coral; NTM C13089.

Paratypes. Australia • 7 colonies, same data as holotype ; NTM C015578 • 5 colonies, same data as holotype ; NTM C3827 • 1 colony, same data as holotype ; NTM C3828 • 3 colonies, same data as holotype ; May 1982; NTM C3829.

Description.

The holotype is a fragment of a colony measuring 14 by 13 mm (Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ). Its polypary expands over a 2 mm thick, spreading crust-like base. The surface of the polypary features some grooves, and the contracted polyps, up to 1 mm in diameter, are visible as low mounds (Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ). The coenenchyme has sclerites in the form of spindles (with tapered ends) and rods (with blunt ends) up to 0.50 mm long, with low, simple tubercles or areas of thickening forming concentric, raised rings (Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ). The polyp body contains similar but shorter rods that appear to be arranged 'en chevron’ when the polyps are extended. The size of the sclerites decreases along the polyp body towards the base of the tentacles (Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ).

The tentacles and pinnules contain numerous platelets and flattened rods (i.e., finger-biscuits, see Bayer et al. 1983) up to 0.10 mm long (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ) arranged on the aboral side of the tentacles. Some of these sclerites have lateral median constrictions, side notches, or depressions at one or both ends resembling a figure-eight shape, and some have bulbous ends resembling bones (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ).

Colour.

The ethanol-preserved colony is cream.

Morphological variations.

The paratype colony NTM C3829 has smoother and shorter spindles and rods compared to the holotype (0.20 vs. 0.50 mm, respectively: Figs 4A View Figure 4 , 6A View Figure 6 ). The tentacle sclerites are up to 0.15 mm long (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ) compared to up to 0.10 mm in the holotype (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ). The holotype NTM C13089 has some platelets with wider ends, resembling the shape of a bone (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ), which are not present in the other type material of this species (Figs 5B View Figure 5 , 6B View Figure 6 ).

Remarks.

This species is capitate with smaller bud-like capitula occasionally emerging from the stalk. The sclerites of the paratypes correspond to those of the holotype but differ a bit in size. This species has the largest tentacle sclerites among the congeners, up to 0.15 mm long (Figs 4 View Figure 4 - 6 View Figure 6 ). No information is available on the living features of this species.

Distribution.

Queensland, Australia.

Etymology.

The species is named after the collector of the material, Prof. John Coll of James Cook University, North Queensland, a renowned chemical ecologist who has contributed prominently to the knowledge of soft corals.