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Home , Conopea galeata, Plexaura, Plexauridae, Swiftia

Phylum: Chromoplexaura marki Class: Order: Red Whip Gorgonian Family:

Lauren N. Rice

Taxonomy: The type specimen for this 2013) (Fig. 2). On the polyps, the sclerites are was named Euplexaura marki 0.04 – 0.09 mm long and are spindles and Kukünthal 1913. Recent work has separated rods with pronounced tubercles (Williams Chromoplexaura marki from the 2013). All sclerites for Chromoplexaura marki Euplexaura, whose species are primarily are pigmented and will retain their color even located in the Indo-Pacific (Williams 2013). after fixation in ethanol or formalin. Current phylogenetic work has indicated that Sexual Dimorphism: None described or the family Plexauridae is polyphyletic, and observed for this species. species are sometimes associated with genera from other families (McFadden et al. Possible Misidentifications 2006; Williams 2013; Wirshing et al. 2005). Specimens originating from the Indo-Pacific Some superficial similarities exist between likely belong to the genus Euplexaura and Chromoplexaura marki and various species of may bear some morphological similarities. found in the Eastern Pacific, but more However, species in Euplexaura have phylogenetic work is needed to determine if colorless sclerites semi-spherical or ovoid in these species belong to the same or different shape, leading to easy identification genera (Williams 2013). (Fabricius and Alderslade 2001). Chromoplexaura marki might also be Description confused for several species belonging to Size: Chromoplexaura marki colonies can the genera Swiftia or Thesea, which can be reach upwards of 15 cm in height, with found in the Eastern Pacific or the Atlantic. individual branches 1.0 to 11 cm long. The Members of Swiftia have polyps that main stem and branches can be 2.5 to 4.0 emerge from distinct calyx structures and mm in diameter (Williams 2013). bear mostly spindle-shaped sclerites. Color: Colonies have a uniform orange-red or Species in the genus Thesea lack the calyx red coloration. Exposed central axis protuberances around each but also structures have a dull brown-black have spindle-shaped sclerites (Williams appearance. Exserted polyps are translucent 2013). white in color (Fig. 1). General Morphology: In general, whole Ecological Information colonies are erect and planar in form. A Range: Chromoplexaura marki colonies have central, basal stem supports multiple lateral been observed from central Oregon to branches that are elongate, slightly curved, southern California (Williams 2013). and slender with slightly enlarged or swollen Local Distribution: Colonies are found along tips. The central axis is proteinaceous and the continental slope on subtidal rocks and hollow. outcrops. The rocky reef offshore of Cape Mouthparts: The polyps are approximately Arago holds numerous colonies. 1.0 mm in width and can be fully retractive but Habitat: Sublittoral benthic communities on often form low and rounded projections rocky bottom and other hard substrates. (Williams 2013). Each polyp bears 8 tentacles Temperature: The temperature range this lined with pinnules. species can tolerate remains unknown. Other species-specific parts: The sclerites Depth: 9 – 90 meters in the coenenchyma are composed primarily Associates: The epizooitic of radiates, with spindles and ovoid forms galeata is often found attached to roughly 0.06 – 0.24 mm in length (Williams the host coral's exposed axial skeleton. Older

A publication of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Oregon. https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-shelf-invertebrates Email corrections to: [email protected] become engulfed in found on colonies of Lophogorgia (Gomez coencenchymal tissue and form gall-like 1973) and the sea pen Ptilosarcus guerneyi growths along the branches (Williams 2013). (Birkeland 1974). Abundance: Unknown for this species Behavior: The behavior patterns for Chromoplexaura marki and other Plexaurid Life-History Information corals remain unexamined. Reproduction: Reproductive patterns and tendencies are currently unknown for Bibliography Chromoplexaura marki. Broadcast spawning 1. BIRKELAND, C. 1974. Interactions is common in most sub-orders of Alcyonacea between a sea pen and seven of its (Watling et al. 2011). Species in the closely predators. Ecological Monographs 44: related genus Swiftia are usually 211 – 232. gonochoristic with maximum oocyte sizes 2. COMA, R., C. LINARES, E. POLA, ranging between 197 - 726 µm (Feehan and and M. ZABALA 2001. Seguiment Waller 2015). Members of the genus Swiftia temporal de la gorgo`nia likely undergo free-spawning, and no clavata de les illes Medes Exercici evidence of brooding has been observed 2001. Pages 59–82 in M. Zabala, (Feehan and Waller 2015). Colonies of the editor. Seguiment temporal de l’a`rea related species kuna undergo free- marina protegida de les illes Medes. spawning in large, synchronized events Informe anual any 2001. Departament (Lasker et al. 1998). de Medi ambient, Generalitat de Larva: The exact larval form for Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Chromoplexaura marki is unknown. Planula 3. FABRICIUS, K., and P. larvae, however, have been observed in the ALDERSLADE. 2001. Soft corals and related genus Plexaura (Lasker et al. 1998). sea fans – a comprehensive guide to The large oocyte diameters observed in the tropical shallow-water genera of Swiftia and other deep-sea octocorals have the Central-West Pacific, the Indian led many to hypothesize that their larvae are Ocean, and the Red Sea. Australian lecithotrophic (Watling et al. 2011). Institute of Marine Science, Juvenile: Little is known about the juvenile Townsville. p 264. stages of Chromoplexaura marki or other 4. FEEHAN, K. A., and R. G. WALLER. cold-water soft corals. 2015. Notes on reproduction of eight Longevity: Unknown for this species. Large species of Eastern Pacific cold-water colonies in the related genus Paramuricia octocorals. Journal of the Marine have been estimated at over 60 years old Biological Association of the United (Linares et al. 2007). Kingdom 95: 691-696. Growth Rate: The growth rates for 5. GOMEZ, E. D. 1973. Observations on Chromoplexuara marki remain unknown. feeding and prey specificity of Tritonia However, past studies have estimated 0.8 festiva (Stearns) with comments on cm/year for the species Paramuricia clavate other Tritoniids (Mollusca: (Coma et al. 2001; Linares et al. 2007). Opisthobranchia). The Veliger 16:163– Food: The dietary compositions for cold- 165. water gorgonian corals remains understudied. 6. KÜKENTHAL, W. 1913. Uber die Based on data collected from related shallow- Alcyonarienfauna Californiens und ihre water species, it is likely that Plexaurid corals tiergeographischen Beziehungen. consume a variety of planktonic organisms, Zoologische Jarbucher (Systematik) invertebrate eggs, and particulate organic 35(2): 219-270. matter (Ribes et al. 2003; Watling et al. 2011). 7. LASKER, H. R., K. KIM, M. A. Predators: Nudibranch species such as COFFROTH.1998. Production, Tritonia festiva likely feed on coenenchyme settlement, and survival of plexaurid tissue, causing the axial skeleton to become gorgonian recruits. Marine Ecological exposed. Similar behavior for T. festiva has Progress Series 162: 111-123. been observed when individuals have been 8. LINARES, C., D. F. DOAK, R. COMA,

Rice, L.N. 2021. Chromoplexaura marki. In: Oregon Shelf Invertebrates. C.Q. Plowman and C.M. Young (eds.). Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR. D. DIAZ, and M. ZABALA. 2007. Life 11. WILLIAMS, G. C. 2013. New taxa and history and viability of a long-lived revisionary systematics of marine invertebrate: the octocoral alcyonacean octocorals from the Paramuricia clavate. Ecology 88(4): Pacific coast of North America 918-928. (Cnidaria, Anthozoa). ZooKeys 283: 9. MCFADDEN, C. S., S. C. FRANCE, J. 15-42. A. SÁNCHEZ, and P. ALDERSLADE, 12. WIRSHING, H. H., C. G. MESSING, 2006. A molecular phylogenetic C. J. DOUADY, J. REED, M. J. analysis of the (Cnidaria: STANHOPE, and M. S. SHIVIJ. 2005. Anthozoa) based on mitochondrial Molecular evidence for multiple protein-coding sequences. Molecular lineages in the gorgonian family Phylogenetics and Evolution 41: 513- Plexauridae (Anthozoa: Octocorallia). 527 Marine Biology 147: 497-508. 10. WATLING, L., S. C. FRANCE, E. 13. Ribes M., R. Coma, and S. Rossi. PANTE, and A. SIMPSON. 2011. 2003. Natural feeding of the temperate Biology of deep-water octocorals. In: asymbiotic octocoral-gorgonian Lesser M (ed) Advances in Marine Leptogorgia sarmentosa (Cnidaria: Biology. Academic Press, London, pp Octocorallia). Marine Ecology 41–122. Progress Series 254: 141-150.

Fig. 1. A whole colony of Chromoplexaura marki Fig. 2. Scanning electron micrograph showing white, exserting polyps along the showing coenenchymal sclerites for C. marki. length of the branches. The scale bar Photograph taken by R. Aitchison. represents 1 cm. This colony was collected from the Cape Arago Reef at 50 m on June 15th, 2020.

A publication of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Oregon. https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-shelf-invertebrates Email corrections to: [email protected]