Blastomussa loyae Head, 1978

Benzoni, Francesca, Arrigoni, Roberto, Waheed, Zarinah, Stefani, Fabrizio & Hoeksema, Bert W., 2014, Phylogenetic relationships and revision of the genus Blastomussa (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia) with description of a new species, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 62, pp. 358-378 : 363

Blastomussa loyae Head, 1978

( Figs. 1G–I , 6C–F , 7B , 8B , 9B )

Blastomussa sp. Loya & Slobodkin, 1971 Blastomussa (Ceriomorpha) loyae Head, 1978 : fig. 1 c–d Blastomussa loyae — Scheer & Pillai, 1983: Pl. 35 figs. 9–11;

Kleemann & Baal, 2011: figs. 1–4 Blastomussa merleti sensu Sheppard & Sheppard, 1991 , fig. 113c Parasimplastrea sheppardi Veron 2002 partim: Figs. 308 and 310 Not Parasimplastrea sheppardi Veron, 2000 : Volume 3 p. 239;

Veron 2002: figs. 309, 311

Type material. Holotype ( BMNH 1977.5.5.1), Sudan, coll. S. Head, 5 m. Paratypes ( BMNH 1977.5 .5.2, 1977.5.5.3) , Sudan, coll. S. Head; ( ZMA Coel. 8322), Port Sudan, Sudan, coll. S. Head ( Figs. 6E, F ) .

Other material. Egypt ( MTQ G 55860), Sharm el Sheikh, 15 m (neotype of Parasimplastrea sheppardi Veron, 2000 designated herein ( Figs. 6C, D ); ( MTQ G 70484) , Sinai, coll. J.E.N. Veron; ( MTQ G 70484) , Sinai, coll. J.E.N. Veron; Saudi Arabia ( BMNH unregistered), Jeddah , coll. C. Sheppard, October 1984; ( KAUST SA005 ) , Al Lith, Whale Shark Reef , (20°07.690'N; 40°12.513'E), coll. F. Benzoni, 2 March 2012 , 20 m; ( KAUST SA009 ), Al Lith, Shi’b Ammar , (19°34.242'N; 40°00.527'E) coll. F. Benzoni, 3 March 2013; ( KAUST SA197 ) , Farasan Banks, Marka Island , (18°12.534'N; 41°20.073'E) coll. F. Benzoni, 7 March 2013; ( KAUST SA237 ) , Farasan Banks, Shi’b Radib , (18°04.385'N; 40°53.154'E), coll. F. Benzoni, 8 March 2013 ; Djibouti TOE, coll. F. Benzoni ( UNIMIB DJ018 ), North Gulf of Tadjoura, Ras Ali , (11°46.354'N; 42°57.286'E), 28 January 2010 , 10 m; ( UNIMIB DJ050 ), North Gulf of Tadjoura, Oblal , (11°51.680'N; 43°6.480'E), 28 January 2010 , 8 m; ( UNIMIB DJ150 ), Maskali Island , (11°42.349'N; 43°9.177'E), 31 January 2010 , 12 m; ( UNIMIB DJ197 ), Ankali , (11°43.590'N; 43 19.590'E), 2 February 2010 , 18 m; ( UNIMIB DJ242 ), North Gulf of Tadjoura, Obock, (11°57.517'N; 43°18.787'E), 3 February 2010 .

Description. Blastomussa loyae forms encrusting coralla. Budding extra-tentacular, corallites attain a cerioid or subcerioid arrangement ( Figs. 1G–I , 6C–F , 7B ) by lack of separation of calices following the budding process, and, by secondary fusion, respectively, as described in detail by Head (1978). Corallites are round to oval and 5–8 mm in largest diameter ( Figs. 1G–I , 6C–F ). Three cycles of septa are present, the first two reach the columella and are equal or sub-equal as the first can be slightly thicker, the third is reduced or incomplete ( Figs. 1G, I , 6D, F ). Septa are composed of one fan system thus margins are smooth ( Figs. 1H–I , 6D ) ( Kleemann & Baal, 2011). Occasionally, in larger calices more than one fan system can develop ( Head, 1978). Septa typically exsert from the colony surface ( Figs. 1H , 6D ). Septal margins and sides finely granulated ( Figs. 1H, I ). Columella formed by trabecular processes, often fused at the base ( Figs. 6F , 7B ), with papillae visible at the centre and variably developed with the same corallum. In several of the examined specimens septa of the first and second cycle appear to be hollow ( Fig. 7B ).

Polyp tentacles retracted towards the oral disc during the day when the mantle is expanded ( Figs. 8B , 9B ). Because the cerioid corallites are close together, the mantle of adjacent polyps touch and become polygonal, giving the coral an overall plocoid appearance, which disappears as mantles retract ( Fig. 8B ). Vesicles smooth to slightly rugged ( Fig. 9B ). Colour varying from light to dark green, with vesicles often of a different colour, ranging from beige to brown.

This species lives in protected environments and strives well in low light and high-turbidity conditions.

Taxonomic remarks. Veron (2002) designated a coral from Egypt (Red Sea) (MTQ G 55860) as “ holotype ” for Parasimplastrea sheppardi ( Fig. 6C, D ). This designation is invalid because a holotype should have been introduced with the original description ( ICZN, 2011). Therefore, this specimen is presently designated neotype of P. sheppardi , but because it belongs to Blastomussa loyae Head, 1978 , P. sheppardi is a subjective junior synonym of the species.

Geographic distribution. Blastomussa loyae has been recorded in the Red Sea. Based on the material examined in the present study, the know range has been extended to the Gulf of Tadjoura.

Figures

Fig. 1. Morphology of examined specimens, Blastomussa merleti: A, top and lateral view of typically phaceloid corallites (IRD HS3264); B, side view of a corallite of the same specimen; C, detail of a corallite (IRD HS1686). B. wellsi: D, corallite arrangement (IRD HS3011); E, side view of a corallite; F, columella of the same specimen. Morphology of examined specimens, B. loyae: G, cerioid corallites (UN- IMIB DJ050); H, lateral view of the colony surface showing exsert septa devoid of dentation in the same specimen as in G; I, detail of a corallite B. omanensis: J, polygonal corallites showing the typical “groove and tubercule” appearance (UNIMIB MU094); K, side view of the same specimen as in J; L, detail of a corallite. Morphology of examined specimens, B. vivida, new species: M) ceriod corallites of a paratype (RMNH Coel. 40091; same specimen as in Fig. 2D); N, side view of septa of specimen IRD HS3000; O, columella of the same specimen. Scale bars A, D, G, J, M = 1 cm; B, C, E, F, H, I, K, L, N, O = 5 mm. Numbers 1–6 in front of the septa in C, E, I, L, and M indicate their cycle number.

Fig. 6. A, Corallum; and B, detail of corallites of the holotype of Blastomussa omanensis (BMNH 1991.6.4.150) collected by C. Sheppard in Oman (Sheppard & Sheppard, 1991: Fig. 147); C, neotype of Parasimplastrea sheppardi (MTQ G 55860); and D, close up of corallites; E, paratype of Blastomussa loyae (ZMA 8322); and F, close up of its corallites. Scale bars A, C, E = 1 cm; B, D, F = 5 mm.

Fig. 7. Skeleton macro-morphology of the examined taxa:A, Blastomussa merleti, holotype (USNM 45390); B, B. loyae, holotype (BMNH 1977.5.5.1); C, B. omanensis, specimen collected by C. Sheppard in Oman (USNM 81272); D, B. wellsi, holotype (ZMA 6905); E, B. vivida, new species, (RMNH Coel. 40092); F, Nemenzophyllia turbida, Philippines (RMNH Coel. 24246); G, Physogyra lichtensteini (UNIMIB MY007), Mayotte Island; H, Plerogyra sinuosa (UNIMIB MY006), Mayotte Island. Scale bars A, B, C = 5 mm; D–H = 1 cm.

Fig. 8. In situ images of the examined taxa: A, Blastomussa merleti, New Caledonia, ST117; B, B. loyae, Djibouti; C, B. omanensis, Yemen; D, B. wellsi, New Caledonia, ST1084; E, B. vivida, new species, New Caledonia (IRD HS3000), ST332; F, Nemenzophyllia turbida, Semporna, Malaysia; G, Physogyra lichtensteini, New Caledonia, ST1477; H, Plerogyra sinuosa, New Caledonia, ST1461. Scale bars = 1 cm

Fig. 9. Close up of the polyps showing mantle vesicles in the examined taxa: A, Blastomussa merleti, New Caledonia, ST117; B, B. loyae, Djibouti; C, B. omanensis, Yemen; D, B. wellsi, New Caledonia, ST1084; E, B. vivida new species, New Caledonia, ST332; F, Nemenzophyllia turbida, Semporna, Malaysia; G, Physogyra lichtensteini, New Caledonia, ST1477; H, Plerogyra sinuosa, New Caledonia, ST1461. White arrows indicate mantle vesicle.