Aglaophenia digitulus Vervoort & Watson, 2003

Figs 1, 2 A–H

Aglaophenia digitulus Vervoort & Watson, 2003: 271, fig. 64a–e.

Material examined

PACIFIC OCEAN • 1 ca 30 cm high, sterile colony; off New Caledonia, stn DW4703; 22°46′ S, 167°19′ E; 350– 348 m; 17 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; barcode identifier MT655144; MNHN-IK-2015-569 • a fully fertile colony ca 31 cm high; off New Caledonia, stn CP4739; 22°41′ S, 167°41′ E; 393– 358 m; 22 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; barcode identifier MT655146; MNHN-IK-2015-578 • two sterile colonies, 18 and 23 cm high, the former without hydrorhiza; off New Caledonia, stn CP4676; 22°51′ S, 167°30′ E; 383– 383 m; 13 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; barcode identifier MT655147; MNHN-IK-2015-579 .

Remarks

The specimens at hand conform strictly to the original description by Vervoort & Watson (2003). However, no mention was made by these authors as to the occurrence of pseudophylactocarps, as noted in the present specimens (Fig. 2 F–H). These ca 5 mm long, curled structures replace some hydrocladia either on the proximal parts of side branches or on the main stem before it branches; like the cladia, the pseudophylactocarps are borne on the same apophyses, and are composed of a succession of short internodes that possibly represent vestigial hydrothecae, together with their corresponding mesial nematothecae.

Distribution

Kermandec Islands (Vervoort & Watson 2003), New Caledonia (present study).