Epizoanthus, (SCHULTZE, 1860), 1867

Kise, Hiroki, Montenegro, Javier, Santos, Maria E. A., Hoeksema, Bert W., Ekins, Merrick, Ise, Yuji, Higashiji, Takuo, Fernandez-Silva, Iria & Reimer, James D., 2022, Evolution and phylogeny of glass-sponge-associated zoantharians, with a description of two new genera and three new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 194, pp. 323-347 : 330-331

EPIZOANTHUS AFF. FATUUS ( SCHULTZE, 1860)

( FIG. 3C )

Material examined: QM G337590 . Hunter CMR, Australia, New South Wales, 32°34 ′ 30.0 ″ S –32°37 ′ 53.8 ″ S, 153°08 ′ 31.2 ″ E –153°09 ′ 42.1 ″ E, depth 1006–1036 m, beam trawl, coll. M. Ekins on RV Investigator, Cruise IN2017_V03, 3 June 2017, fixed in 99.5% EtOH .

Description: External morphology. Circa 40 cylindrical polyps connected by strongly developed light beige coenenchyme on stalks of hexactinellid sponges ( Hyalonema sp. ) in preserved specimen. Colony covered upper part of the stalks, but not around the spiculous anchor. Contracted preserved polyps 1.0–3.0 mm in height, 1.5–3.5 mm in diameter.

Remarks: The capitulums of this specimen (QM G337590) were not swollen, while capitulums of the examined specimens of Epizoanthus fatuus (NSMT-Co 1757, NSMT-Co 1758) were swollen when contracted. On the other hand, numbers of tentacles and mesenteries were the same between QM G337590 and the examined specimens of E. fatuus . Therefore, we here preliminarily identify the examined specimen as Epizoanthus aff. fatuus .

Figures

Figure 3. Images of preserved Amphidiscophora spongesassociated zoantharians. A, B, Epizoanthus fatuus collected from Japan; C, Epizoanthus aff. fatuus collected from Australia; D, Epizoanthus stellaris collected from Australia; E, Epizoanthus aff. armatus collected from Japan. Scales: 10 mm.