Sertularella helenae Vervoort, 1993

Sertularella helenae Vervoort, 1993: 218, fig. 47B–E.

Sertularella helenae – Galea 2016: 27, fig. 8H.

Material examined

PACIFIC OCEAN • three colonies, 1.8× 2.5 cm, 3.4× 2.5 cm, and 2.8× 2.4 cm, respectively, all without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4764; 23°20′ S, 168°15′ E; 350–356 m; 27 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; one colony fragment was used for DNA extraction, DNA 1377; voucher MHNG-INVE- 120838; MNHN-IK-2015-409 • four colonies, 1.5 × 0.9 cm, 2.1× 1.2 cm, 2.5 × 2.2 cm, and 3.8× 1.7 cm, respectively, without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4744; 22°55′ S, 167°37′ E; 310– 290 m; 23 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-410 • a colony, 3× 4 cm, composed of three stems whose branches anastomose so as to form a single flabellate colony, without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4720; 22°50′ S, 167°11′ E; 374–400 m; 19 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-411 • three colonies, 1.3× 1.5 cm, 2.1× 1.7 cm, and 2.5 × 2.2 cm, respectively, without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4783; 22°56′ S, 167°48′ E; 385–395 m; 29 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-412 • two colonies, 2.5× 2 cm and 1.8× 1.5 cm, respectively, without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4725; 22°41′ S, 167°05′ E; 240–256 m; 20 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-413 • a colony, 3× 2.8 cm, without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4731; 22°31′ S, 167°35′ E; 460– 457 m; 22 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-414 • nine colonies without gonothecae, largest 3× 3.2 cm; off New Caledonia, stn CP4658; 22°42′ S, 167°13′ E; 303–315 m; 10 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-415 • three colonies without gonothecae, 1.3× 1.5 cm, 1.5× 1.6 cm, and 2.5 × 2.5 cm, respectively; off New Caledonia, stn DW4743; 22°52′ S, 167°34′ E; 380– 340 m; 23 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-416 • numerous colonies and fragments, all without gonothecae, largest 3 × 3 cm; off New Caledonia, stn DW4651; 22°42′ S, 167°14′ E; 295–300 m; 09 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; one colony was used for DNA extraction, DNA 1378; voucher MHNG-INVE- 120839; barcode identification MK 073097; MNHN-IK-2015-417 • a 2.5× 2.5 cm, colony without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn CP4675; 22°50′ S, 167°30′ E; 350–366 m; 13 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; whole colony used for DNA extraction, DNA1379; barcode identification MK 073098; MHNG-INVE- 120840 • two colonies without gonothecae, 3.5× 4 cm and 4.5× 4 cm, respectively; off New Caledonia, stn DW4744; 22°55′ S, 167°37′ E; 310– 290 m; 23 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-440 • two colonies without gonothecae, both 2.5× 3 cm; off New Caledonia, stn DW4782; 23°00′ S, 167°55′ E; 856– 845 m; 29 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-441 • four colonies without gonothecae, 3.2 × 3 cm, 3.5× 3 cm, 3.5× 3.5 cm, and 4.2× 4.5 cm, respectively; off New Caledonia, stn DW4741; 22°52′ S, 167°41′ E; 210 m; 23 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-442 • a 3.5× 3 cm colony without gonothecae; off New Caledonia, stn DW4745; 22°57′ S, 167°39′ E; 310–403 m; 23 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-443 • two colonies without gonothecae, 4× 4 cm and 4.5× 4.5 cm, respectively; off New Caledonia, stn DW4781; 22°57′ S, 167°47′ E; 295– 255 m; 29 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-444 • twenty colonies without gonothecae, largest 6 × 6 cm; off New Caledonia, stn DW4743; 22°52′ S, 167°34′ E; 380– 340 m; 23 Aug. 2016; KANACONO leg.; MNHN-IK-2015-445 .

Remarks

Colonies of reticulate appearance, formed through anastomoses of terminal tendrils on neighboring branchlets, are met with in material MNHN-IK-2015-440. Tendrils may also settle down on main stems, forming accessory tubes. Abortive branchlets, given off from below the hydrothecal bases, may never develop hydrothecate internodes, transforming directly into tendrils that reach other hydrothecal bases, uniting laterally neighboring side branches, as illustrated by material MNHN-IK-2015-409. Despite the abundance of the material available both earlier (Vervoort 1993) and in the present collections, the gonothecae of this species have yet to be discovered.

Distribution

New Caledonia, Norfolk Ridge and Solomon Islands (Galea 2016).