Lytocarpia cf. spiralis (Totton, 1930)

Figs 16A, 17 A–B

Thecocarpus spiralis Totton, 1930: 238, fig. 69c–d.

Thecocarpus spiralis – Ralph 1961: 59, figs 8i–j, 10d.

Lytocarpia spiralis – Vervoort & Watson 2003: 321, figs 77d–h, 78a–e.

Material examined

PACIFIC OCEAN • 1 colony, ca 46 cm high, bearing 11 plumose side branches, without gonothecae, hydrothecae with mostly damaged rims; off New Caledonia, stn DW5038; 19°55ʹ S, 158°35ʹ E; 340 m; 22 Sep. 2017; KANADEEP leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-546 .

Remarks

The present material agrees well with descriptions of Lytocarpia spiralis (Totton, 1930) by Ralph (1961) and Vervoort & Watson (2003) but, since it is devoid of its gonosome and the condition of the hydrothecal rim could not be assessed properly, it is assigned with a query to it.

Distribution

Previously known from waters around New Zealand (Vervoort & Watson 2003); New Caledonia (present study).