Trimuricea spinosa, Samimi-Namin, Kaveh & Van Ofwegen, Leen P., 2016

Samimi-Namin, Kaveh & Van Ofwegen, Leen P., 2016, A revision of Trimuricea Gordon, 1926 (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Plexauridae) with the description of six new species, Zootaxa 4105 (1), pp. 1-44 : 35

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4105.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:621E2759-DDBF-4ADC-A1EC-3CA8F581C336
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6077949
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E8793-9932-D94D-D4C0-9BEC817B335F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Trimuricea spinosa
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Trimuricea spinosa View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 21 View FIGURE 21 b, 26–27)

Trimuricea sp. Samimi-Namin & van Ofwegen, 2009b.

Material: Holotype, RMNH Coel. 39317, one colony, Persian Gulf, Larak Island, 26° 53ʹ 15″ N, 56° 23′ 36″ E, 14–16 m depth, coll. K. Samimi-Namin, 5 December 2007.

Description. The holotype is about 8 cm high and 8.5 cm wide, branched in one plane, and has anastomoses forming a network ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 b). The stem is 1.5 cm long and 0.5 cm thick and all branches are 3–4 mm thick. Some branches have lost the tissue and are covered by algae. The calyces are dome shaped, closely set to each other and situated all around the branches. They are up to 0.5 mm high and 1 mm wide.

The points have triradiates ( Fig. 26 View FIGURE 26 a) along with, hockeystick or boot-shaped sclerites, or spindles that can be curved or sinuous ( Fig. 26 View FIGURE 26 b), 0.10–0.40 mm long. The upper ray of the triradiates and upper part of the accessory sclerites is strongly echinulate or tuberculate for up to 0.18 mm. The collaret spindles are 0.20–0.44 mm long ( Fig. 26 View FIGURE 26 c); and the middle part of the convex side is slightly more tuberculate than the concave side and both the ends. The concave side is relatively smooth with very few tubercles. There are a few tentacle scales present, up to 0.05 mm long ( Fig. 26 View FIGURE 26 d).

The calyces have thornscales, 0.15–0.47 mm long, with a warty base, and one or more, smooth or echinulate thorns up to 0.23 mm long ( Fig. 27 View FIGURE 27 a).

The coenenchyme has spindles, 0.30–0.68 mm long, with simple and complex tubercles ( Fig. 27 View FIGURE 27 b) along with a few crosses and irregularly branched forms ( Fig. 27 View FIGURE 27 c).

Colour. The live colony was white-yellowish, with magenta polyps. Preserved it is brown. All sclerites are colourless (For in situ photo refer to Samimi-Namin & van Ofwegen 2009b).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin spinosus (thorny). It refers to the thornscales with several thorns.

Remarks. This species mostly resembles T. flava n. sp., but differs in having colourless sclerites and triradiates with a strongly echinulate upper part. Moreover, the collaret spindles of T. spinosa are far less tuberculate.