Deltocyathus heteroclitus Wells, 1984

Kitahara, Marcelo V. & Cairns, Stephen D., 2009, A revision of the genus Deltocyathus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 (Scleractinia, Caryophylliidae) from New Caledonia, with the description of a new species, Zoosystema 31 (2), pp. 233-248 : 242-243

Deltocyathus heteroclitus Wells, 1984 ( Fig. 1F)

Deltocyathus heteroclitus Wells, 1984: 210 , figs 3, 1-6. — Cairns & Zibrowius 1997: 124. — Cairns 1999: 69, 97, 98, fig. 13d-g, text-fig. A. — Cairns et al. 1999: 21.

TYPE MATERIAL. — The holotype and 5 paratypes are deposited at the USNM (71849, 71850, and 71851). TYPE LOCALITY. — Navaka River, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu (Late Pleistocene).

NEW RECORDS. — BATHUS 4, stn DW 887, 2 specimens (MNHN-Scl.2008-0015); stn DW 894, 2 specimens (MNHN-Scl.2008-0016); stn DW 898, 1 specimen (MNHN-Scl.2008-0017); 1 specimen ( USNM

1114160). DISTRIBUTION. — New Caledonia waters from 20°15.77’S,

163°50.21’E to 21°06.67’S, 164°27.62’E, 245- 600 m. Previous records: Wallis and Futuna region, 349-355 m, and Vanuatu region (Cairns 1999), 208-210 m, including late Pleistocene of Espiritu Santo ( Wells 1984).

DESCRIPTION

Corallum polygonal and lancetted in calicular margin, each lancet corresponding to each P3 and P4. Largest specimen examined (BATHUS 4, stn DW 894) 11.9 mm in calicular diameter and 4.1 mm in height. Base conical with a pointed centre, but one specimen (BATHUS 4, stn DW 887) shows a large depression in the middle to the base. All costae well developed and equal sized, extending from calicular margin to centre of the base, being separated by shallow intercostal furrows. However, when flanked, C3 is broader and most prominent costae, extending up to 1 mm beyond the calicular edge forming robust costal spines, not reaching the centre of the base. All costae bear several granules near calicular edge, sometimes becoming a row near the middle of the base.

Septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles (S1>S2> S4>S3), however, no specimen examined have a complete fourth cycle, usually resulting in 39-42 septa. Number of spines (C3) dependent of number of flanked S3. S1 only independent septa extending ½ to ¾ distance to columella, being separated from a lamellar palus by a slender notch. S2 slightly smaller than S1 but bear a wider palus. S3 dimorphic in size: those unflanked by S4 slightly smaller than S2, being fused by axial edges to adjacent P2; however, those S3 flanked by S4 are the smallest septa, but bear the widest and tallest paliform lobe, and sometimes 2 or 3 small paliform teeth near columella. P3 high granular, sinuous in upper edge, and are the most recessed pali from columella. S4 fuse to adjacent P3 through a solid lamella at the level of S3-P3 notch. All septal faces granulated and slightly sinuous in upper edge.

Fossa shallow containing an elliptical papillose columella composed by several granular elements.

REMARKS

See identification key and Remarks of D. ornatus .