Melithaea caledonica Grasshoff, 1999

Ramvilas, Ghosh, Alderslade, Philip & Ranjeet, Kutty, 2023, The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice, Zootaxa 5236 (1), pp. 1-124 : 28

Melithaea caledonica Grasshoff, 1999

Melithaea caledonica Grasshoff, 1999: 8 , pl. 1, fig. 3; fig. 7a, 8 ( New Caledonia).

Melithaea stormii Tixier-Durivault, 1970: 327 ( New Caledonia).

Opinion: There is no evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Kumar et al. 2014a: 94, pl. 44, fig. A–D (Andaman and Nicobar Is.); Fernando et al. 2017: 29, pl. 10, fig. A–E (Andaman and Nicobar Is.).

Literature analysis: The descriptions given by Kumar et al. (2014a) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical, but it is impossible to know the true characteristics of their specimen as much of the description is taken from Grasshoff’ (1999), even down to the exact size of the sclerites, and it is rather disconnected or out of context. The authors state, “Coenenchyme are irregularly tuberculated spindles and plates; many irregular plates like (sic) sclerites also present in the cortex.”, while Grasshoff states “Sclerites of coenenchyme are irregularly tuberculated spindles and plates; many irregular plate-like sclerites are present in the holotype and paratypes from the same locality, Stn 192, but in the paratype from Stn 242 such sclerites are almost absent”. The authors also state “…plates like sclerites also present in the cortex. The large curved sclerites above them are 0.15 mm long; the flat platelets in the tentacles are dentate, the largest was 0.1 mm long”, while Grasshoff states, “The sclerites of the anthocodia are flattened, the transversally placed bows attain a length of 0.2 mm, the large curved sclerites above them are 0.15 mm long; the flat platelets in the tentacles are dentate, the largest was 0.1 mm long…”

Regardless, the sclerites illustrated by Kumar et al. (2014a) and Fernando et al. (2017) are quite different to those belonging to the holotype. Contrary to their text, they figure complex foliate spheroids and leafclubs as cortex sclerites, whereas Grasshoff figures smooth foliate spheroids and heavily warted, irregular spindles and ovoids. Kumar et al. (2015) lists the species and figure two of the specimens from the 2014 and 2017 papers above, Kumar et al. (2018, 2019, 2019a) remark that the species occurs in the region and give references, and Kumar et al. (2019b) just list the species. Melithaea caledonica is possibly endemic to New Caledonia.