Scleranthelia rugosa, (Pourtales, 1867)

Devictor, Susan T. & Morton, Steve L., 2010, Identification guide to the shallow water (0 - 200 m) octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight 2599, Zootaxa 2599 (1), pp. 1-62 : 29

Growth form rugosa ( Pourtalès, 1867)

Sarcodictyon rugosum Pourtalès, 1867:113 .— Hickson 1930:211.— Deichmann, 1936 (discussion of type):37. Scleranthelia musiva .— Carpine 1964:3; Figs. 1–3 .

Scleranthelia rugosa (Pourtalès) growth form rugosa Bayer, 1981b (description):891; Fig. 5a, b .

Material examined. USNM 94530 , 175– 196 m, off Charleston, SC, July 5, 1993 .

Figures

FIGURE 1. The South Atlantic Bight, which includes coastal waters between Cape Hatteras and Cape Canaveral, USA. The 200 m isobath is shown.

FIGURE 2. Branching colony forms; a) dichotomous (Iciligorgia schrammi); b) monopodial (Telesto sp.); c) whip-like branches (Leptogorgia virgulata); d) rod-like branches (Titanideum frauenfeldii); e) open, irregularly pinnate (Muricea pendula) f) planar (Leptogorgia hebes); g) lobed, with clusters of polyps (Pseudodrifa nigra).

FIGURE 3. Unbranched colony forms; a) flagelliform (whip-like) (Leptogorgia setacea); b) capitate (Nidalia occidentalis); c) foliose (Renilla reniformis) d) club-like (Sclerobelemnon theseus); e) pen-like (Virgularia presbytes); f) stoloniferous (Scleranthelia rugosa var. rugosa).

FIGURE 5. Pennatulaceans A, Renilla reniformis and B, Sclerobelemnon theseus, indicating the rachis (Ra), autozooids (Au), and peduncle (Pe) (scale bar = 1 cm).