Leptogorgia diffusa (Verrill, 1868)

Horvath, Elizabeth Anne, 2019, A review of gorgonian coral species (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) held in the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History research collection: focus on species from Scleraxonia, Holaxonia, Calcaxonia - Part II: Species of Holaxonia, families Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae, ZooKeys 860, pp. 67-182 : 67

Leptogorgia diffusa (Verrill, 1868) Figures 16A, B, 17, 18 A–D

Litigorgia diffusa Verrill, 1868a; 1868b: 397-398.

Gorgonia (Litigorgia) diffusa Verrill, 1868c: 415.

Leptogorgia diffusa Verrill, 1868a; 1868b: 397-398; pl V, fig. 6; pl VI, fig. 3; 1869b: 421. Nutting 1910d: 5. Bielschowsky 1918: 30; 1929: 112. Kükenthal 1919: 771; 1924: 329-330. Hickson 1928: 413-414. Stiasny 1935: 29. Breedy and Guzmán 2007: 32-37.

Nec Leptogorgia diffusa : Stiasny 1951: 71 [Guyane Française, Ile Royale] = ( Leptogorgia punicea (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857) [see Bayer 1961]).

Leptogorgia rubra Bielschowsky, 1918: 29 [nomen nudum]; 1929: 92-94. Kükenthal 1919: 911-912; 1924: 325.

Lophogorgia diffusa : Prahl et al. 1986: 21.

Type locality.

(Lectotype) Gulf of Panama, Panama, Pearl Islands; additionally (Paralectotypes) Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica.

Type specimens.

Holotype, as Litigorgia diffusa Verrill, 1868); YPM 1659a [dry]. Lectotype Breedy and Guzmán 2007: YPM 1659 [dry]. Paralectotypes Breedy and Guzmán 2007: MCZ 7081 [dry]; YPM 5151 [wet]. Breedy and Guzmán (2007) believe it unlikely that YPM 1659a or 1659b are this species.

Material examined.

4 lots (see Appendix 1: List of material examined). I was unable to examine the designated type specimens, but again, distinctive characters of the species made this unnecessary for ID of SBMNH specimens.

Description.

Colony form (Figure 16A), appearance of branch and polyp placement (with overall effect of polyp placement that of serrated or zig-zag appearance; Figure 16B) and sclerites (Figures 17, 18 A–D) correspond with that given in description of the species in Breedy and Guzmán (2007: 32-36), although in the SBMNH material examined, the anthocodial sclerites (Figure 18A) seem exceptionally long.

Etymology.

Latin diffuses- means spreading, perhaps in reference to open shrub-like appearance that the branches create. No discussion of the species name is given by Verrill.

Distribution.

From Panama and Costa Rica to southern California, at least.

Remarks.

The lax, flattened branches, large polyps that produce zig-zag appearance, large (and in this case, long) anthocodial rods and the dull brick-red coloring are clear diagnostic features for this species. The species is listed as an accepted form in Cordeiro et al. (2018c).