Stephanocyathus (O.) weberianus (Alcock, 1902)

Cairns, S. D., 2004, The Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Coelenterata: Anthozoa) of Australia, Records of the Australian Museum 56, pp. 259-329 : 285

publication ID	2201-4349
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/903C8031-8774-595B-FC95-BEC9FBB3FB79
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scientific name	Stephanocyathus (O.) weberianus (Alcock, 1902)
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Stephanocyathus (O.) weberianus (Alcock, 1902) View in CoL

Stephanotrochus weberianus Alcock, 1902a: 101–102 View in CoL .

? Stephanocyathus nobilis View in CoL .– Wells, 1958: 262 (listed: NSW); 1964: 109 (listed: NSW).– Veron, 1986: 607 (listed).

Stephanocyathus (O.) weberianus View in CoL .– Cairns, 1994: 57–58, pl. 25d– f (synonymy, description); 1995: 68, pl. 17g –i (SM).–Cairns & Zibrowius, 1997: 119–120, figs. 14g,h (synonymy, remarks).– Cairns, 1999a: 89–90.

New records. NEW SOUTH WALES: Kapala 76/24/03, 3, AM G16412 ; Kapala 79/20/13, 2, AM G15237 .— WESTERN AUSTRALIA: off Carnarvon (station “D30”), 3, depth unknown, WAM Z13253 View Materials ; Lady Basten 1031201, 1, WAM Z16003 View Materials . — QUEENSLAND: Franklin 06/88/04, 7: 1, MTQ G30350 , and 6, USNM 86561 ; Franklin 06/88/20, 1, AM G16664 ; Cidaris I 1-3, 31, MTQ G55649–55650 ; Cidaris I 1-4, 7, MTQ G55651 ; Cidaris I 44-3, 2, MTQ G55655 ; Cidaris I 45-2, 1, MTQ G55656 ; Cidaris I 49-2, 9, MTQ G55652 ; Cidaris I 49-3, 16, MTQ G55653–55654 ; Cidaris I 50-2, 17, MTQ G55657–55658 ; Cidaris I 50-3, 9, MTQ G55659–55660 ; 11°35'S 144°11'E, 1006 m, 1, USNM 78617 GoogleMaps ; 25 miles (= 40 km) ne Stradbroke Island , 710–730 m, 1, SAM TH8592 ; FNQ 79- 33, 5, AM G16523 .

Types. The holotype is ZMA Coel. 1322. Type Locality: 8°43.1'S 127°16.7'E (Timor Sea), 828 m. GoogleMaps

Remarks. It is unknown what data (?specimens) Wells (1958, 1964) had in hand when he reported Stephanocyathus nobilis from New South Wales. Stephanocyathus nobilis and S. weberianus are quite similar and have been confused before ( Cairns, 1994), but S. nobilis has not yet been substantiated to occur off Australia. Wells may have observed specimens of S. weberianus , not S. nobilis .

Stephanocyathus weberianus and the previously discussed species, S. coronatus , are also quite similar, as discussed by Cairns (1995). To reiterate, S. weberianus can be distinguished by having 12–18 costal projections integrated into a continuous basal rim (vs 12 discrete, complexly ornamented costal tubercles); less exsert S1–2; and a smooth, flat (not convex, costate) base. Off eastern Australia the species are also separated bathymetrically, S. weberianus found only shallower than 1050 m, S. coronatus deeper than 1050 m.