Caryophyllia (Acanthocyathus) grayi (Moseley, 1881)

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

Caryophyllia (Acanthocyathus) grayi (Moseley, 1881)

Fig. 1K, L

Acanthocyathus grayi Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848a: 293, pl. 9, fig. 2. - Alcock 1898: 15. -van der Horst 1931: 6. -Umbgrove 1938: 264-265. -Umbgrove 1950: 641-642, pl. 81, figs 27-32. - Wells 1984: 209, pl. 2, figs 5-9. -Zou 1988: 76, figs 8-9.

Caryophyllia (Acanthocyathus) grayi . -Cairns 1994: 49, pl. 21, figs I-K. - Cairns and Zibrowius 1997: 97-98, figs 7C, F, I. - Cairns 1998: 377. - Cairns 1999a: 76. -Cairns 2004: 276.

Caryophyllia grayi . -Kitahara et al. 2010: 102, figs 53-55, 58-59.

Type locality.

Unknown ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997; Kitahara et al. 2010).

Type material.

One syntype is deposited at the NHMUK ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997; Kitahara et al. 2010).

Material examined.

USNM 91541 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 32 km south of Ponta Do Ouro/ 20 km off Kosi Bay Estuary, 27°08'10.79"S, 32°52'07.20"E; 98 m.

Description.

Corallum ceratoid, curved, unattached, with a slender and slightly curved pedicel (PD:GCD = 0.09). Calice compressed (GCD:LCD = 1.6). Calicular margin serrate. Only specimen examined: 19.9 × 12.4 mm in CD, 1.8 mm in PD, and 22.1 mm in H. Thecal margins rounded, with three thecal spines. Costae rounded, equal in width, and extending towards pedicel. C1 more prominent than remaining costae. Intercostal striae narrow. Examined specimen eroded with a light brown appearance.

Septa in 15 sectors arranged in four cycles, the last cycle being incomplete, according to the formula: 15:15:30:8 (68 septa). Primary septa most exsert, and extend ¾ distance to columella, with straight to slightly sinuous axial margin. Higher cycle septa less exsert (if at all). Secondary septa ¼ the width of primaries, with sinuous axial margins. Tertiary septa ¾ less the width of secondaries also having sinuous axial margins. S4 rudimentary. A total of 15 (P3) with sinuous axial margins encircle an elongated fascicular columellar. Fossa of moderate depth.

Distribution.

Regional: Eastern margin of South Africa, off Kosi Bay Estuary (32 km south of Ponta Do Ouro: Mozambique); 98 m. Elsewhere: Japan (Cairns 1994); Philippines; Indonesia ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997); Wallis and Futuna Islands; Vanuatu ( Cairns 1999a); New Caledonia ( Kitahara and Cairns 2021); Australia (Cairns 2004; Kitahara et al. 2010); Andamans Islands (van der Horst 1931); 37-490 m.

Remarks.

Caryophyllia (Acanthocyathus) grayi differs from C. dentata , the only other Acanthocyathus from the region, in having 15 primary septa and in bearing spines on both thecal edges only on one side in C. dentata . Although C. grayi was previously reported from South Africa ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997; Cairns 1999a; Kitahara et al. 2010), none of the authors presented the locality information. Nonetheless, South African representatives of C. grayi are similar to the Australian specimens in S1 bearing a sinuous axial margin, whereas they are both different from the Japanese specimens in that regard. However, this South African specimen differs from both the Japanese and Australian representatives in its septa arranged in 15 sectors, with four pairs of S4 (15:15:30:8); instead of 14 or 18 sectors.

Figures

Figure 1. A, B Anomocora fecunda (SAMC _ A 073042, off Shaka's Rock, 200 m) A calicular view B lateral view C, F Anomocora marchadi C, D (SAMC _ A 090093, off Durban, 49 m) C calicular view D lateral view E, F (SAM _ H 3100, off Shaka's Rock, 66 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, H Aulocyathus juvenescens (Mortensen 25, off Durban, 424 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J Aulocyathus sp. cf. Aulocyathus matricidus (DIa 1, locality data unknown) I calicular view J lateral view K, L Caryophyllia (Acanthocyathus) grayi (USNM 91541, off Kosi Bay, 98 m) K calicular view L lateral view M, N Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) diomedeae (MN _ SM 129, off Margate, 850 m) M calicular view N lateral view N, O Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) ephyala (SAMC _ A 072974, off Paternoster, 440 m) O Calicular view P Lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm.