Bayergorgia vermidoma Williams & Lopez-Gonzalez, 2005

Schejter, L., Genzano, G., Pérez, C. D., Acuña, F., Cordeiro, R. T. S., Silva, R. A., Garese, A. & Bremec, C. S., 2020, Checklist of Benthic Cnidaria in the SW Atlantic Ocean (54 ºS- 56 ºS), Zootaxa 4878 (2), pp. 201-239 : 221

Bayergorgia vermidoma Williams & Lopez-Gonzalez, 2005

Material examined: BBB 2016: St. 12; St. 13; St. 18; St. 21; St. 23; St. 26; St. 36; St. 38; St. 40. PD BB 2017: St. 14; St. 21; St. 43 (MACN-In: 43486, 43487).

Distribution: Drake Passage (61°26.08’S, 58°06.2’W, 1047–1227 m); Elephant Island, (61°18.14’S, 56°8.27’W, 281.1–288.6 m); Shag Rocks (53°23.59’S, 42°41.78’W, 223.6–307 m) Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Is.; South Georgia Is. (54°29’S, 39°22’W, 659–686 m); South Orkney Is. (60°22’S, 46°50’W, 298–403 m) ( Williams & López-González 2005); off Cape Horn (57°00.33’S, 67°35.1’W, 450 m; 57°13.81’S, 67°02.32’W 1100 m); Burdwood bank 54°31´S, 62°11´W 330 m as Clavularia sp. ( Schejter et al. 2016a).); Elephant Island (61°15´S, 56°24´W, 450 m) ( Auscavitch & Waller 2017); Drake Passage, 57°04´S, 67°30´W, 850 m (Waller & Robinson 2011 as Bayergorgia sp.); off Tierra del Fuego, Burdwood bank (130–785 m) (present study).

Remarks: The original diagnosis of the species does not include branched specimens ( Williams & López-González 2005). Although the authors discuss some branched forms, it is unlikely these specimens correspond to a different new species. Besides the presence of branching, we could not find clear boundaries between those two morphotypes either in the specimens examined herein or in specimens from other areas (unpublished data). Thus, we suggest the emendation of the diagnosis of B. vermidoma to include both branched and unbranched forms. Some of the studied specimens presented epibionts, mainly other cnidarians (see Schejter et al. 2020).