Euplexaura sp. b

(Figs. 2 f, 21)

Material: RMNH Coel. 38786, colony fragment, Strait of Hormuz, Qeshm Island, 18 May 2006; part of the colony has been deposited in the Persian Gulf Biotechnology Research Center.

Description. The colony is 13 cm high and 3 cm wide (Fig. 2 f). It is sparsely branched in one plane, with cylindrical branches. Calyces not present or very low and dome-shaped.

The polyps have points with flattened spindles, up to 0.15 mm long (Fig. 21 a). A collaret is not present.

The surface layer of the coenenchyme has blunt ellipsoids and spindles, up to 0.25 mm long, with complex tubercles (Fig. 21 c). The calyces have spindles with simple tubercles and spindles with one end being less tuberculate (Fig. 21 b).

The interior has small spindles and rods, up to 0.20 mm long (Fig. 21 d).

Colour. Colony white, sclerites colourless.

Remarks. This species differs from Euplexaura plana n. sp. and E. sp. a in having uniformly tuberculated surface sclerites. It further differs from E. plana n. sp. in having smaller coenenchymal sclerites and lacking flattened branch ends. The calyx spindles with one end being less tuberculate, becoming club-like, seems to be unique to this species.

The sclerites of Euplexaura sp. b have a remarkable resemblance to those of Guaiagorgia anas Grasshoff & Alderslade, 1997 . However, the club-like spindles of the calyces, and the ornamented polyp spindles are not present in G. anas .