Bebryce thomsoni Nutting, 1910

Ramvilas, Ghosh, Alderslade, Philip & Ranjeet, Kutty, 2023, The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice, Zootaxa 5236 (1), pp. 1-124 : 51

Bebryce thomsoni Nutting, 1910

Bebryce thomsoni Nutting, 1910: 49 , pl. 7 fig. 4, 4a; pl. 20, fig. 8. ( Indonesia, west coast of Flores; Kei Islands): Bayer & Ofwegen 2016: 352–354, figs. 35–36 (type description).

Opinion: There is not enough evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Fernando, 2011: 43, pl. 20, fig. 1–1f (SE coast); Fernando et al. 2017: 89, pl. 39, fig.1–1f (SE coast).

Literature analysis: The descriptions of the Indian material by Fernando (2011) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical, but it is difficult to recognise the species they describe because there is not sufficient information in the sclerite images. At first glance, with the predominance of warty spheroids and the large heavily warted spindles and clubs, the sclerite figures indicate the specimen could be closely related to Discogorgia acanthoides ( Thomson & Russell, 1910) (see Bayer & Ofwegen 2016: 355). But one sclerite image in their figures ( Fernando 2011: plate 20, fig. 1b, bottom left corner) looks similar to the small rosettes figured by Bayer & Ofwegen (2016: fig. 35e, bottom left), which indicates the specimen is a Bebryce .

Comparing the Indian material to the holotype as described by Bayer and Ofwegen, there are clear differences. The most obvious is the sclerites of the Indian specimen appear to include large numbers of warty spheroids, which are not present in the holotype. These could, however, be rosettes that have all managed to be balanced upsidedown, in which case their form must be different to those of the holotype. This indeed appears to be the case as the text of the Indian authors states that the coenenchyme contains “circular to oval studs” with the upper surface concave and covered in “smooth bead-like warts”, whereas in the holotype the upper surface is convex and covered in clusters of blunt spines. Additionally, it is difficult to reconcile the large, heavily warted spindles and clubs in Fernando’s publication (2011: pl. 20, figs. 1d–f) with the anthocdial sclerites of the holotype.

Bayer and Ofwegen figured the sclerites from another Indonesian specimen (USNM 43159) that they assigned to B. thomsoni that has different sclerite forms, including the presence of warty spheroids. We believe the Indian specimen represents a new species and is closely related to USNM 43159.