Culicia sp. cf. australiensis Hoffmeister, 1933

Filander, Zoleka N., Kitahara, Marcelo V., Cairns, Stephen D., Sink, Kerry J. & Lombard, Amanda T., 2021, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from South Africa, ZooKeys 1066, pp. 1-198 : 1

Culicia sp. cf. australiensis Hoffmeister, 1933

Fig. 14J-L

Culicia australiensis Hoffmeister, 1933: 12, pl. 3, figs 3, 4. - Wells 1958: 263, pl. 1, figs 3, 4. -Squires 1960: 200, fig. 8. -Cairns and Parker 1992: 12-13, figs 2A, D, G. - Cairns 1998: 371-372. -Cairns 2004a: 273.

Culicia sp. Veron, 1986: 600.

Type locality.

Off Marsden Point, South Australia, 31 m (Cairns 2004a).

Type material.

Syntypes are deposited at the AM (Cairns 2004a).

Material examined.

SAMC_A073032 (2 colonies): Eastern margin, 9 km from Shaka’s Rock/ 12 km off Mhlali Estuary, 29°32'06.00"S, 31°19'47.99"E; 50 m.

Imagery data.

Mortensen Stn. 23 (1 colony): Eastern margin, off Durban; 64 m. Mortensen Stn. 30 (1 colony): Eastern margin, off Durban; 94 m. SAM_H1236 (1 colony): Eastern margin, O’Neil Peak; 101 m.

Description.

Colony reptoid, composed of elongated individual corallites joined by stolons. Corallites cylindrical, with circular to elliptical calices (GCD:LCD = 1.0-1.1), and ≤ 6.8 mm in H. Calicular margin smooth. Epitheca smooth and thin.

Septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles according to the formula: S1-2 > S3 > S4 (48 septa). S1-2 equal in width and bearing variable axial margin: sometimes smooth and in other cases dentate, both types extend to columella. S3 equal to or 1/3 smaller than S1-2, and bear a dentate axial margin. S4 rudimentary, also having dentate axial margin. All septa non-exsert and closely packed. Fossa moderately deep containing a papillose columella composed of granulated rods.

Distribution.

Regional: Eastern margin of South Africa, from off O’Neil Peak extending towards Durban; 50-101 m. Elsewhere: Australia (Hoffmeister 1933; Cairns and Parker 1992; Cairns 1998, 2004a); 3-378 m.

Remarks.

Three other taxa ( C. tenella tenella Dana, 1846, C. tenella natalensis (Duncan, 1876), and C. excavata (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1849)) are historically known to occur in the south-west Indian Ocean, all of which have three septal cycles, not four. Specimens examined most closely resemble C. australiensis in all characters (including a hexamerally arranged septa with four cycles), but differ in having a dentated, not smooth S1 axial margin. However, Culicia requires revision and, therefore, the examined specimens are tentatively reported as C. sp. cf. Culicia australiensis until the time that the taxonomy of this genus is reviewed.

Figures

Figure 14. A, B. Letepsammia formosissima (SAM _ H 1429, off Kidds Beach, 79 m) A calicular view B basal view C, D Letepsammia franki (SAMC _ A 090070, off Durban, 95 m) C calicular view D basal view E, F Rhombopsammia niphada (SAM _ H 1390, off Port Alfred, 90 m) E calicular view F basal view G, H Stephanophyllia fungulus (SAMC _ A 073106, Cape Vidal, 140 m) G calicular view H basal view I Madrepora oculata (SAM _ H 3038, off St Lucia, 825 m) full view J, L Culicia sp. cf. Culicia australiensis (SAMC _ A 073032, off Shaka's Rock, 50 m) J calicular view K full view L septa details M, N Culicia excavata. M (UCTES _ DBN 85 H, off Ispongo, depth unknown): full view N (BMNH 1840.09.30.19, Cape of Good Hope, depth unknown): Calicular view O, P Stenocyathus vermiformis (SAM _ H 3213, off Cintsa, 630 m) O calicular view P lateral view Scale bars: 10 mm (A-H, J-N); 100 mm (I); 2 mm (O, P).