Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) valdiviae Zibrowuis & Gili, 1990

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 (Caryophyllia) valdiviae Zibrowuis & Gili, 1990

Fig. 3C, D

Caryophyllia clavus . -von Marenzeller 1904a: 281 (in part ' Valdivia '-291-292), pl. 16, figs 9K-M.

Caryophyllia epithecata . - Boshoff 1981: 35.

Caryophyllia valdiviae Zibrowius & Gili, 1990: 28, 30, 32, pl. 2, figs P-R, pl. 3, figs A-T.

Type locality.

Walvis Ridge, west of Namibia ('Benguela VI Expedition’ stn. BB12: 25°34'00.0"S, 6°07'00.0"E); 886 m (Zibrowius and Gill 1990).

Type material.

The holotype is deposited at the NHMUK (Zibrowius and Gill 1990).

Material examined.

SAM_H3108 (2 specimens): Eastern margin, 35 km from Durban/ 33 km off Mbokodweni Estuary, 30°03'49.62"S, 31°15'30.89"E; depth unknown. ORI_DIIIa1 (7 specimens): Eastern margin, no other locality data.

Description.

Corallum ceratoid, unattached, curved, and with a small pedicel (PD:GCD = 0.1). Calice subcylindrical, slightly compressed (GCD:LCD = 0.9-1.2), and with a jagged calicular margin. Largest specimen examined (SAM_H3108) 26.8 × 23.0 mm in CD, 2.8 mm in PD, and 55.3 mm in H. Costae poorly developed and flat, except for C1-2, which are prominent and high. C1-2 slightly wider than C3-4. All costae covered with fine granules, extending towards base, and separated by narrow intercostal striae. Theca thick. Corallum white, with beige theca.

Septa octamerally arranged in four cycles according to the formula: S1 > S2 > S3-4 (64 septa). S1 most wide, with straight axial margins that meet columella deep in fossa. S2 slightly less wide than S1, with straight to slightly sinuous axial margins. S1-2 most exsert. S3-41/3 less wide than S2, and bear sinuous axial margins. S3 the most sinuous and each bearing a tall and thin pali (16 P3). All septal faces covered with sparsely arranged granules. Fossa relatively deep, with a fascicular columella composed of 4-12 ribbon-like elements.

Distribution.

Regional: Western ( Zibrowius and Gili 1990) and eastern margins of South Africa, off Alexander Bay ( Zibrowius and Gili 1990) and southeast of Durban; 442-882 m. Elsewhere: Walvis Ridge ( Zibrowius and Gili 1990); 882-2670 m.

Remarks.

The examined specimens match the characteristics described by Zibrowius and Gili’s (1990) Caryophyllia (C.) valdiviae specimens in having: (i) octamerally arranged septa, (ii) four cycles, and (iii) 16 P3. Caryophyllia valdiviae is similar to C. cornulum Cairns & Zibrowius, 1997 in adult specimens having 48-72 septa and bearing four to five septa size classes (Kitahara et al. 2010 - key). However, C. valdiviae can be distinguished by having septa highly exsert (1.8-4.2 mm) as compared with 0.7-1.1 mm in C. cornulum , S1-2 being equally exsert, and also in septal formula: S1 > S2 > S3-4 in C. valdiviae and S1 > S3 ≥ S2 in C. cornulum . Among the other three unattached Caryophyllia recorded in South Africa ( C. grandis , C. scobinosa , and C. stellula ), C. valdiviae overlaps in distribution and superficially resembles C. grandis , but may be distinguished by its adult corallum having septa octamerally arranged in four cycles (64 septa) as compared with septa hexamerally arranged in five cycles (96 septa). The number of resultant pali also differs between these two species, with C. valdiviae having 16 P3 and C. grandis 24 P3. Furthermore, C. valdiviae bears a robust and trochoid corallum, while C. grandis have a less robust and ceratoid corallum. Caryophyllia valdiviae is also one of the species reported by von Marenzeller (1904a) as C. clavus ( Valdivia Expedition stn. 83) (Zibrowius and Gill 1990). Apart from von Marenzeller’s (1904a) misidentification of the Atlantic (Walvis Ridge) record, Boshoff (1980) reported an Indian ocean record of C. valdiviae as C. epithecata , a sample collected through UCTES and a sub-sample of SAM_H3108. Nonetheless, this KwaZulu-Natal record represents a disjunction in the previously known Atlantic distribution of this species, indicating that this species might occur all around the South African continental slope.

Figures

Figure 3. A, B Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) stellula (SAM _ H 1485, off Agulhas, 200 m) A calicular view B lateral view C, D Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) valdiviae (SAM _ H 3108, off Durban, depth unknown) C calicular view D lateral view E, F Crispatotrochus cornu (UCT _ NAD 17 F, off Isipingo, 49 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, J Desmophyllum dianthus G, H (SAMC _ A 077974, off Paternoster, 440 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J (BMNH. 1939.7.20.218, locality data unknown) I calicular view J lateral view K, L Desmophyllum pertusum (SAM _ H 1605, off Melkbosstrand, depth unknown) K calicular view L lateral view M, N Goniocorella dumosa (SAM _ H 3190, off Kidds Beach, 760 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Heterocyathus aequicostatus (SAMC _ A 073186, off Durban, 150 m) O calicular view P lateral view Scale bars: 10 mm (A-I, K-P); 100 mm (J).