Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) sarsiae Zibrowuis, 1974

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) sarsiae Zibrowuis, 1974

Fig. 2K-N

Caryophyllia cylindracea . -Jourdan 1895: 11 (in part).

Balanophyllia cornu . -Jourdan 1895: 27, pl. 2, fig. 21A, B.

Caryophyllia clavus . - Gravier 1920: 16 (in part).

Caryophyllia arcuata . - Gravier 1920: 25 (in part), pl. 2, figs 26, 29.

Caryophyllia sarsiae Zibrowius, 1974b: 779-782, pl. 3, figs A-F. -Zibrowius et al. 1975: 95, fig. 3A-E. - Zibrowius 1980: 62-63, pl. 24, figs A-J.

Caryophyllia sp. - Zibrowius 1974c: 755-756, pl. 1, fig. 11, pl. 2, fig. 1.

Type locality.

Southeast of Le Chapelle Bank, west of Brittany (RV ‘Sarsia’ stn. 1: 47°19'00"N, 06°36'00"W); 880-980 m ( Zibrowius 1974b).

Type material.

Types are deposited at the NHMUK ( Zibrowius 1974b).

Material examined.

MN_SM 162 (2 specimen): Southern margin, 40 km off Kei Mouth / 29 km off Cwili Estuary, 32°55'00.00"S, 28°31'00.00"E; 630 m. MN_SM 174 (1 specimen): Southern margin, 26 km off Kidds Beach / 27 km off Ncera Estuary, 33°19'36.00"S, 27°52'23.99"E; 760 m. MN_SM 226 (19 specimens): Southern margin, 32 km off Mazeppa Bay / 24 km off Kobole Estuary, 32°28'36.00"S, 28°58'48.00"E; 710-775 m.

Description.

Corallum ceratoid, straight to slightly curved, and attached to substrate through a robust pedicel (PD:GCD < 0.60). Calice circular to slightly elliptical (GCD: LCD = 1.0-1.1), with serrated calicular margin. Largest imaged specimen (MN_SM 226) 15.0 × 15.0 mm in CD, 8.0 mm in PD, and 42.0 mm in H. Costae equal, flat, and smooth. Theca granular. Corallum white, with beige theca.

Septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles according to the formula: S1-2 > S3 ≥ S4 (48 septa). S1-2 equal in width, highly exsert, thick, and extend to columella with straight (although S1 may be slightly sinuous in some specimens) axial margins. S3 ¾ the width of S1-2, less exsert, with extremely sinuous axial margins, which bear narrow and sinuous pali (12 P3). S4 equal to slightly smaller than S3, but equally exsert, bearing straight axial margins. All septal faces appearing smooth, with small and randomly arranged granules deeper in fossa. Fossa of moderate depth, with fascicular columella composed of 6-9 twisted laths.

Distribution.

Regional: Southern margin of South Africa, off Kei Mouth extending towards Kidds Beach; 630-760 m. Elsewhere: Madeira and Azores, extending to off Portugal and Ireland ( Zibrowius 1974b); the Mediterranean ( Zibrowius 1980); 520-2200 m.

Remarks.

All the imaged specimens represented here have: (i) septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles; (ii) S1-3 bearing sinuous axial margins, S3 being the most extreme; and (ii) S4 having straight axial margins. Further to the septa symmetry and profile, specimens have granulated costae throughout corallum. Zibrowius (1974b) noted the intraspecific variation that may exist in the corallum shape of C. sarsiae , which is highly dependent on the environmental conditions, particularly in relation to substrate attachment. Some of the examined specimens (for example MN_SM 229) are attached to Solenosmilia variabilis Duncan, 1873, and do indeed display a more curved corallum. This account of C. sarsiae in South African territory extends the species distributional range further south and, therefore, represents a new record for the region.

Figures

Figure 2. A, B Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) grandis (SAMC _ A 073150, off Mazeppa Bay, 480 - 490 m) A calicular view B lateral view C, D Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) lamellifera (SAMC _ A 090155, off Sodwana Bay, 120 m) C calicular view D lateral view E, F Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) profunda (DTE Valdivia Stn 108, off Agulhas, 126 m) E calicular view F lateral view G, H Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) quadragenaria (USNM 91539, Eastern coast, off Shaka's Rock, 350 m) G calicular view H lateral view I, J Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) rugosa (SAMC _ A 090071, off Kosi-Kumpungwini (Sifungwe) Estuary, 370 m) I calicular view J lateral view K, N Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) sarsiae K, L (MN _ SM 226, off Mazeppa Bay, 710 - 775 m) K calicular view L lateral view M, N (MN _ SM 174, off Kidds Beach, 760 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) scobinosa (SAM _ H 1248, off Durban, 91 m) O calicular view P lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm.