Mediterranean Octocorallia: Descriptionof Clavularia Carpediem
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Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde , 56 (2): 232-246 — 1986 Mediterranean Octocorallia: descriptionof Clavularia carpediem n. sp. and synonymy of Clavularia crassa and C. ochracea on etho-ecological grounds by Steven Weinberg Institute of Taxonomic Zoology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands') Abstract since then. As a result, the Mediterranean octocoral fauna is quite well known, especially from the A new stoloniferan octocoral Mediterranean the circalittoral species that have recently been (Morocco) is described under the name Clavularia carpediem and critically compared with C. marioni Von Koch, 1891 revised (Weinberg, 1976, 1977, 1978). Only ofthe and C. arctica (Sars, 1861). A thorough redescription three stoloniferan species have been described latter species is given. in the Cornularia as being very common area: The recent discovery that the common rock-dwelling (Pallas, 1766), Clavularia ochracea Von hitherto referred C. cornucopiae colonies belonging to a species to as 1878 and ochracea Von 1878 incubate their the outside Koch, Sarcodictyon roseum (Philippi, Koch, eggs on 2 of the rather unusual fact polyps, a among Octocorallia, 1842) ). ofthis with C. leads to the species crassa (Milne synonymy Clavularia crassa (Milne Edwards, 1848), a far considered Edwards, 1848), so a rare species living live species believed to exclusively as an epi- the Mediterranean exclusively as an epibiont on sea-grass the marine biont on angiosperm Posidonia Posidonia oceanica. oceanica is much while the rarer, two remaining Résumé species appear to be very rare: Clavularia ( “Anthelia”) inermis, described by Berenguier Sous le nom Clavularia carpediem un nouvel Octocoralliaire but of which the type-specimen has Stolonifère méditerranéen est décrit des côtes marocaines, (1954), been have been et une comparaison critique est donnée de la nouvelle unfortunately lost, may C. Von et C. espèce avec marioni Koch, 1891 arctica (Sars, rediscovered near Benidorm, Spain (Williams, 1861). Cette dernière est redécrite en détail. The other Clavularia pers. comm.). species, La découverte récente du fait les Stolonifères que com- marioni, originally described from Naples by substrats le muns des durs, connus jusqu’à présent sous Von Koch (1891), and of which the nom de C. ochracea Von Koch, 1878 incubent leurs oeufs type- lost as was à l’extérieur des polypes, un phénomèneplutôt exception- specimen was well, subsequently nel chez les Octocoralliaires, conduit à la synonymie de found off Monaco, off Casablanca and around C. l’on cette espèce avec crassa (Milne Edwards, 1848) que the Azores, in depths ranging from 845-2165 m considérait vivant jusqu’àprésent comme une espèce rare, (Thomson, 1927; Tixier-Durivault & d'Hondt, exclusivement en épibionte sur la Posidonie (Posidonia In a recent of the oceanica). 1975). redescription species I from (Weinberg, 1978) studied a specimen Naples (Zoologisch Museum Amsterdam coll. the known INTRODUCTION no. Coel. 7831), presently only specimen from the type-locality. The study of Octocorallia (Coelenterata, In July and September 1982, while diving in the MediterraneanSea of Morocco Anthozoa) originated along the Mediterranean coast near in and has been pre-Linnaean times, going on Cabo Negro, an area extremely rich in ') Present address: European School, Boulevard Konrad Manuel (1981) brought the congenerity of Sarcodictyon Adenauer, L-1115 Luxembourg. Forbes, 1849 and Rolandia De Lacaze-Duthiers, 1900 to 2 Still Rolandia in and established former ) described as rosea (Philippi, 1842) my my attention, correctly the name Stolonifera the valid paper on Mediterranean (Weinberg, 1978). as only one by priority. BIJDRAGEN TOT DE DIERKUNDE, 56 (2) - 1986 233 3 I found stoloniferan which consist of Octocorallia ), a Coel. 8328, 8329, 8330). The colonies reminded of C. marioni the size of its of 35-150 at me by groups ca. (mean 90) polyps rising I collected 1-4 2 from polyps. some colonies. Closer study intervals of mm (mean mm) a of these C. network. revealed that although resembling stolonal The colonies appear as tight bear clusters marioni, the specimens more resemblance of polyps (plate I, fig. A), even on much wider to the boreal species C. arctica. The differences substrata that would allow for spac- stolons between the Moroccan species and C. arctica are ing of the individual polyps. The are that the former deserves of broad such, however, a tax- 2.5-20 mm wide, often consisting a onomical of its In this the and flat membrane from which the arise. status own. paper polyps The consist of 5.5-9 new species Clavularia carpediem will be described polyps (fig. 1) a mm high and compared with C. marioni and C. arctica. anthostele which is completely stiffened by eight The Furthermore, entirely new etho-ecological rows of densely packed sclerites. proximal of which is observations on the species formerly described part the anthocodia, completely few C. ochracea lead the of this retractile into the bears a as to synonymy taxon anthostele, only with C. sclerites. On the distal of the anthostele crassa. part a and with about halfa dozen crown points occur, sclerites between each of MATERIAL AND METHODS intermediary pair The consists of 5 9 points. crown to parallel Living specimens were observed and photographed under of slender and rows long, sclerites, the spindle- water by meansof SCUBA divingprior to collecting. The sclerites of the shaped points are prolonged on animals were kept overnight in a solution of 0.5% the external side of the tentacles MgS04 in seawater in order to achieve anesthesia before by sparsely fixation in 10% formalin. Subsequently, the colonies were distributed flat irregular tentacular sclerites transferred tojars containing 70% ethanol. All specimens (%• 2). in the collections of the Museum of are kept Zoologisch the of Amsterdam University (ZMA). These tentacular irregular plates (fig. 3) bear of Clavularia obtained from the Specimens arctica were few only a tubercles. Zoological Museum of the University of Bergen, Norway 49-167 107 Length: [Am (mean [Am). (ZMB: 457, 578, 579, 12162), the Zoological Museum of Width: 16-45 30 the University ofOslo, Norway (ZMO: B847, B1208) and |im (mean [im). the Zoological Museum of the University ofCopenhagen, Average length/width ratio: 3.6. Denmark numbers dates of (collection are registration; The sclerites of the crown and points ZMK: 20101884 (3 x ), 05101889 (2 x), 15051890, (fig. 4) undated with the consist of slender with rounded 04191896, 26111908, 22121953, and two very spindles mention: "Tjalfe"). thorns. Preparations of sclerites were obtained by dissolution of Length: 239-429 [Am (mean 295 [Am) the soft tissues in cold and concentrated sodium Width: 26-37 31 [im (mean [Am). hypochlorite (Javel). ratio: 9.5. The follow the Average length/width morphological descriptions nomen- clature of Bayer et al. (1983). The anthocodial sclerites (fig. 5) consist of relatively smooth spindles with rounded thorns. Clavularia carpediem n. sp. Length: 135-300 [Am (mean 208 [Am). Width: 26-41 32 [xm (mean [Am). Description Average length/width ratio: 6.5. Five colonies have been studied, the holotype The sclerites of the anthostele (fig. 6) consist of (ZMA Coel. 8327) and four paratypes (ZMA two different forms: plump spindles densely 3 ) The following species were encountered: Clavularia Groot & Weinberg, 1982), Eunicella singularis (Esper, crassa (Milne Edwards, 1848), Sarcodictyon roseum (Philippi, 1794), E. verrucosa (Pallas, 1766), Lophogorgia ceratophyta 1842), Maasella edwardsi (De Lacaze-Duthiers, 1888), (Linnaeus, 1758), L. viminalis (Pallas, 1766) and Paralcyonium spinulosum (Delle Chiaje, 1822), Alcyonium Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826). acaule Marion, 1878, A. coralloides (Pallas, 1766) (see also 234 S. WEINBERG - MEDITERRANEAN OCTOCORALLIA 1. Two of Clavularia the other retracted. Sclerites occur Fig. polyps carpediem n. sp., one completely expanded, partly in six distinct = = = = = stolon. body regions: te tentacles, po points, cr crown, ac anthocodia, as anthostele, st = - 235 BIJDRAGEN TOT DE DIERKUNDE, 56 (2) 1986 2. Detail of tentacle of Clavularia with sclerites of flat Fig. a carpediem n. sp., consisting irregular plates. 3. Tentacular of Clavularia of Fig. sclerites carpediem n. sp., consisting irregular plates covered with tubercles, and slender spindles The stolonal sclerites (fig. 7) consist of the same with rounded thorns. categories as encountered in the anthostele, the surface of the slender Plump spindles: although processes 149-378 286 are more and sometimes Length: fjim (mean [Jim). spindles pronounced Width: 53-71 (im (mean 61 fxm). more truncated and wart-like. Average length/width ratio: 4.7. Slender spindles: Plump spindles: 94-294 169 212-290 Length: [xm (mean (Jim). Length: (im. Width: 51-55 Width: 24-37 |im (mean 31 fim). fim. Average length/width ratio: 5.5. Average length/width ratio: 5.4. 236 S. WEINBERG - MEDITERRANEAN OCTOCORALLIA 4. Sclerites of and of Clavularia slender with rounded thorns. Fig. crown points carpediem n. sp.: spindles Slender Cabo fair of sedi- spindles: around Negro carry a amount 90-261 192 the avoid Length: [im (mean [im). ment, species clearly seems to Width: 26-45 34 substrata where silt accumulates. It should be (im (mean p). Average length/width ratio: 5.7. noted that typical colonies of C. ochracea ( = C. see next section) were found in the same in limited crassa, Cross-shaped sclerites occur numbers habitats. throughout the colony. So far, in spite of intensive prospecting, the was not encountered