Nicella flabellata ( Whitelegge, 1897 )

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 : 95-96

Nicella flabellata ( Whitelegge, 1897)

Verrucella flabellata Whitelegge, 1897: 319 , pl. 17, fig. 34–37 (Funafuti).

? Verrucella granifera Hiles 1899: 52 , pl. 1, fig. 1–2 (Funafuti).

Nicella flabellata Grasshoff 1999: 86 , fig. 141b, 146–147 ( New Caledonia).

Opinion: There is little evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomson & Henderson 1906: 80 (Andamans); Fernando 2011: 125, pl. 86, fig. 1– 1g (Tuticorin); Kumar et al. 2014a: 30, pl. 12, fig. A–C (Ritchie’s Archipelago); Fernando et al. 2017: 290, pl. 136, fig. 1– 1g (Tuticorin).

Literature analysis: This species was established by Whitelegge as Verrucella flabellata from Funafuti in the Central West Pacific with virtually no descriptive text but with a sketch of the colony and a few rudimental drawings of some sclerites. The holotype has never been redescribed, so the exact form and size of the sclerites remain unknown, but Whitelegge’s illustrations clearly indicate that the large subsurface sclerites typical of the genus generally had rounded ends and a well-defined, bare waist, and that they could have been be about twice the length of the small double heads of the surface layer. Hiles (1899) reported on some samples also from Funafuti and was of the opinion that the species was a synonym of Verrucella granifera Kolliker, 1865 . She described and figured the large sclerites as being spindles and double spindles (the latter meaning they had a waist), many with rounded ends, and recorded them as being about twice the length of the “double stars”. It is quite possible her specimen was Verrucella flabellate but highly unlikely it was Verrucella granifera as that species was originally collected in the Atlantic off the west coast of Africa.

The species was transferred to the genus Nicella by Thomson & Henderson (1906) but it is impossible to tell what those authors had because there were no illustrations provided. Simpson (1910) diagnosed the species as having mainly “small double clubs and long thick double spindles” and provided some sclerites drawings, but there is no indication that Simpson had seen the original material. Simpson’s sclerite drawings reveal the double spindles as being close to x4 the length of the double heads. Grasshoff (1999) assigned New Caledonian material to this species but the subsurface sclerites did not have a waist, had rather pointed ends; and were extremely long compared to the small surface sclerites, so that identification would appear to be incorrect.

The accounts given by Fernando (2011) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical, but their descriptive text is extremely cursory. However, despite the sclerite images being small and the details ill-defined, it seems that only a few of the smaller subsurface sclerites resemble those illustrated by Whitelegge and Hiles, and the larger forms are extremely long compared to the surface double heads, have rather pointed ends, and do not suggest the same style of sclerite as that presented by Whitelegge and Hiles. Kumar et al. (2014a) also assigned material to this species. The figured double clubs somewhat resemble those illustrated by Whitelegge, but the large subsurface sclerites are narrow and do not. Rao & Devi (2003) just list the species, while Kumar et al. (2015) lists the species and provide the same colony image as in the 2014 paper above.