Ofwegenum coronalucis, McFadden & Benayahu & Samimi-Namin, 2024

McFadden, Catherine S., Benayahu, Yehuda & Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, 2024, A new genus of soft coral (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea, Cladiellidae) and three new species from Indo-Pacific coral reefs, ZooKeys 1188, pp. 275-304 : 275

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1188.110617
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:528120A6-2EC0-4796-B37B-5E51FD1FE7AA
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1030A306-9E82-4E0E-8565-9D3D157A5406
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:1030A306-9E82-4E0E-8565-9D3D157A5406
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Ofwegenum coronalucis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ofwegenum coronalucis sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2A, B View Figure 2 , 3H, I View Figure 3 , 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10A-D View Figure 10 , 11 View Figure 11

Material examined.

Holotype. Oman • Dhofar, Mirbat, Michel's Reef ; 16.9433°N, 54.7300°E; 25-30 m depth; 20 January 2022; coll. C.S. McFadden and K. Samimi-Namin; UF 17263 (BOMAN-08362). GoogleMaps

Paratype. Oman • same data as holotype; SMNHTAU_ Co _39048 (BOMAN-08351) GoogleMaps .

Other material.

Oman • Dhofar, Mirbat, Frankincense ; 16.9662°N, 54.6900°E; 24-30 m depth; 19 Jan 2022 GoogleMaps ; coll. C.S. McFadden; UF 15819 (BOMAN-08345) • Dhofar, Mirbat, near Frankincense ; 16.9688°N, 54.6877°E; 24-29 m depth; 21 Jan 2022 GoogleMaps ; coll. C.S. McFadden and K. Samimi-Namin; UF15882 (BOMAN-09175) • same collection data as for preceding; UF 15877 (BOMAN-09166) • same collection data as for preceding; in situ photo, microscope slides and molecular data only; BOMAN-09174. Unknown • Aquarium trade, Chicago, IL GoogleMaps , USA; July 2013 ; coll. A. Parrin; SMNHTAU_Co_38223.

Description.

The holotype consists of several fragments of a colony; the largest is 10 mm in diameter (Fig. 3H View Figure 3 ). The colony consists of multiple capitate polyparia on sterile stalks; side branches connect adjacent stalks to one other at the base to form an encrusting mat. Most polyps are contracted, with polyps widely set on the polyparium (Figs 3H View Figure 3 , 9A, B View Figure 9 ).

Sclerites of the coenenchyme are spindles and rods up to 0.40 mm long with low, simple tubercles or areas of thickening forming concentric, raised rings (Fig. 7A View Figure 7 ). The polyp body contains similar but shorter rods that appear to be arranged 'en chevron’ when the polyp is extended (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 ). These sclerites are usually blunt and have a crystalline texture at both ends (Fig. 7A View Figure 7 ). The length of the sclerites decreases along the polyp body towards the base of the tentacles (Fig. 7A View Figure 7 ).

The tentacles and pinnules contain numerous platelets and flattened rods (i.e., finger-biscuits) up to 0.10 mm long (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ), arranged on the aboral side of the tentacles (Fig. 2A, B View Figure 2 ). Some of these sclerites have median constrictions, side notches, or depressions at one or both ends resembling figure-eight shapes (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ). There are also numerous irregularly shaped platelets with side notches or side branches, up to 0.05 mm in length (Fig. 7C View Figure 7 ), that are distributed around the mouth and base of the tentacles on the oral side. These sclerites are reflective in light (Fig. 2A, B View Figure 2 ).

Colour.

In life, colonies appear brown with blue-green tentacles. After preservation in ethanol, they are creamy white. Sclerites colourless.

Morphological variations.

UF 15882 and BOMAN-09174 have slightly thinner spindles and rods both in the coenenchyme and polyp body (Fig. 8A View Figure 8 ). In addition, the polyp sclerites have fewer side notches and depressions compared to the holotype (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ). Photos of the live specimens suggest that some of the polyps do not have the reflective sclerites around the mouth (Figs 9E, F View Figure 9 , 10C, D View Figure 10 ).

SMNHTAU_Co_38223 comes from the aquarium trade in the U.S. Its commercial source is assumed to be Jakarta, Indonesia (A. Parrin, pers. comm. 12 Aug 2013), but the original collection locality remains unknown. This colony is tentatively assigned as O. aff. coronalucis based on its sclerite features and genetic similarity to this species (Fig. 16 View Figure 16 ). However, it differs from the other material in having a blue colour in the coenenchyme and shorter tentacle sclerites up to 0.07 mm long. Such differences might be due to a prolonged exposure to the artificial aquarium environment.

Remarks.

Ofwegenum coronalucis sp. nov. differs from its congeners in having irregularly shaped sclerites with side notches or side branches around the polyp mouth that reflect light (Figs 2A, B View Figure 2 , 7C View Figure 7 , 8C View Figure 8 ). Additionally, the tentacle platelets have narrow median constrictions compared to the other species (Figs 7B View Figure 7 , 8B View Figure 8 ).

Distribution.

Oman.

Etymology.

The species name is from the Latin corona (crown) and lucis (of light), referring to the reflective ring of sclerites around the polyp mouth in the live specimens.