Astrogorgia fam subsp. gen var. indet, . sp. 13

Fassbender, Nico, Stefanoudis, Paris V, Filander, Zoleka Nontlantla, Gendron, Gilberte, Mah, Christopher L, Mattio, Lydiane, Mortimer, Jeanne A, Moura, Carlos J, Samaai, Toufiek, Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, Wagner, Daniel, Walton, Rowana & Woodall, Lucy C, 2021, Reef benthos of Seychelles - A field guide, Biodiversity Data Journal 9, pp. 65970-65970 : 65970

"fam. Plexauridae" gen. indet. sp. 13

Materials

Type status: Other material. Taxon: scientificName: Plexauridae sp. 13; kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Cnidaria; class: Anthozoa; order: Alcyonacea; family: Plexauridae; scientificNameAuthorship: Gray, 1859; Location: waterBody: Indian Ocean; country: Seychelles; locality: Aldabra W 1 ; minimumDepthInMeters: 61.9; maximumDepthInMeters: 72 m; locationRemarks: First Descent: Seychelles Expedition; Identification: identifiedBy: Nico Fassbender, Kaveh Samimi-Namin, Paris Stefanoudis; dateIdentified: 2019, 2020; identificationRemarks: identified only from imagery; Event: samplingProtocol: Submersible OR Remotely Operated Vehicle OR SCUBA; Record Level: basisOfRecord: Human observation

Notes

Colonies are short (~ 15 cm in height), irregularly branched, forming small bushes. Branches are thin and almost twig-like, giving an overall delicate and brittle appearance. The colouration is bright yellow. Observed to grow in sedimented habitats around 60 m. The species could be confused with Plexauridae sp. 2; however, the latter has thicker, fuzzier-looking branches and is found under overhangs and ledges in around 120 m of depth (Fig. 57 ).

Figures

Figure 57. Plexauridae gen. indet. sp. 13. Aldabra W 1, 72 m.