Euplexaura

Namin, Samimi & Ofwegen, Van, 2009, Some shallow water octocorals (Coelenterata: Anthozoa) of the Persian Gulf, Zootaxa 2058, pp. 1-52 : 28-32

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.186743
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6220188
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A36F53-CA7A-5A71-F0EC-F94EFE836B06
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Euplexaura
status

Treatment

Euplexaura View in CoL sp. b

( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2. a – b f, 21)

Material: RMNH Coel. 38786, colony fragment, Strait of Hormuz, Qeshm Island, 18 May 2006; part of the colony has been deposited in the Persian Gulf Biotechnology Research Center.

Description. The colony is 13 cm high and 3 cm wide ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2. a – b f). It is sparsely branched in one plane, with cylindrical branches. Calyces not present or very low and dome-shaped.

The polyps have points with flattened spindles, up to 0.15 mm long ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 a). A collaret is not present.

The surface layer of the coenenchyme has blunt ellipsoids and spindles, up to 0.25 mm long, with complex tubercles ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 c). The calyces have spindles with simple tubercles and spindles with one end being less tuberculate ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 b).

The interior has small spindles and rods, up to 0.20 mm long ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 d).

Colour. Colony white, sclerites colourless.

Remarks. This species differs from Euplexaura plana n. sp. and E. sp. a in having uniformly tuberculated surface sclerites. It further differs from E. plana n. sp. in having smaller coenenchymal sclerites and lacking flattened branch ends. The calyx spindles with one end being less tuberculate, becoming club-like, seems to be unique to this species.

The sclerites of Euplexaura sp. b have a remarkable resemblance to those of Guaiagorgia anas Grasshoff & Alderslade, 1997 . However, the club-like spindles of the calyces, and the ornamented polyp spindles are not present in G. anas .