The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University Taxonomy, Systematics and Biogeography of South African Actiniaria and Corallimorpharia Megan Clair Laird Town This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the degreeCape of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Zoology, Faculty ofof Science, University of Cape Town. Submission date: 27th December 2012 Corrections submitted: 20th May 2013 University Supervisor: Prof. Charles L. Griffiths Dedicated to the late Valerie HorneClelandTown ~ the most loving grandmother and the strongest woman I know~ Cape of. University II Town Cape of “Taxonomy (theUniversity science of classification) is often undervalued as a glorified form of filing—with each species in its folder, like a stamp in its prescribed place in an album; but taxonomy is a fundamental and dynamic science, dedicated to exploring the causes of relationships and similarities among organisms. Classifications are theories about the basis of natural order, not dull catalogues compiled only to avoid chaos. ” - Stephen Jay Gould (Wonderful Life 1989) III Town Cape of University IV Plagiarism declaration This dissertation has been compiled by Megan Clair Laird and the work presented here is a direct result of original research carried out at the Marine Biology Research Centre, Zoology Department, University of Cape Town. This work has not been submitted for a degree at any other university and any assistance I received is fully acknowledged. The description of Edwardsia isimangaliso in Chapter 2 appears in Daly et al. (2012) and all sections that I have included in my dissertation were researched and compiled by myself and edited by Ass. Prof. MaryMegan Daly. As a collaborator in this paper, I was instrumental in describing the new species of sea anemone. All figures presented were compiled by me. Town In Chapter 3, I have used the species diagnoses of previous authors, rewriting them and adding in information where possible. It is important to note that changing wording of taxonomic texts can be problematic, as meaning is often altered. In everyCape case I have referenced the author and acknowledged their work. of All contributing photographers are acknowledged in Table 5.3 in Appendix E. University SIGNATURE: _________________ DATE: _________________ V Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................... VIII ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................................... X CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 Importance of sea anemones .......................................................................................................................... 4 Definition of morphological characters .......................................................................................................... 7 Aim and objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Outline of chapters ....................................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 2 – SPECIES DESCRIPTIONS, NEW RECORDS AND RANGE EXTENSIONS OF SOUTH AFRICAN SEA ANEMONES ............................................................................................................................ 21 GENERAL INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 21 DESCRIPTION OF EDWARDSIA ISIMANGALISO N. SP. FROM THE ST. LUCIA ESTUARY ................................................ 22 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................Town 22 Methods ....................................................................................................................................................... 24 Results ......................................................................................................................................................... 25 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................... 31 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHOSTELLA N. SP. FROM THE CAPE PENINSULACape ...................................................................... 34 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................of 34 Methods ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 Results ......................................................................................................................................................... 37 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................... 46 NEW RECORDS AND RANGE EXTENSIONS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN ACTINIARIA AND CORALLIMORPHARIA................. 48 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 48 Methods ....................................................................................................................................................... 48 Results ................................University................................ ......................................................................................... 49 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................... 53 Range extensions.......................................................................................................................................... 57 CHAPTER 3 – FIELD KEY AND GUIDE TO SOUTH AFRICAN ACTINIARIA AND CORALLIMORPHARIA .................................................................................................................................. 59 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 59 METHODS ......................................................................................................................................................... 60 RESULTS .......................................................................................................................................................... 61 FIELD KEY ........................................................................................................................................................ 67 GUIDE TO SOUTH AFRICAN ACTINIARIA AND CORALLIMORPHARIA ..................................................................... 75 VI PLATES.......................................................................................................... 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CHAPTER 4 – BIOGEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN SPECIES RICHNESS AND ENDEMICITY WITHIN SOUTH AFRICAN ACTINIARIA .................................................................................................................. 238 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 238 METHODS ....................................................................................................................................................... 241 Data collection .......................................................................................................................................... 241 Spatial analyses ......................................................................................................................................... 246 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................................ 249 Species discovery ....................................................................................................................................... 249 Distribution of records ............................................................................................................................... 250 Biogeography ............................................................................................................................................ 253 Depth ......................................................................................................................................................... 262 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................................................... 265 Species discovery ......................................................................................................................................