Paracalyptrophora hawaiiensis Cairns, 2009

Cairns, Stephen D., 2018, Primnoidae (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Calcaxonia) of the Okeanos Explorer expeditions (CAPSTONE) to the central Pacific, Zootaxa 4532 (1), pp. 1-43 : 35-36

Paracalyptrophora hawaiiensis Cairns, 2009

Figs. 1T , 17 A–E

Paracalytrophora hawaiinensis Cairns, 2009: 416 –420, figs. 1J, 4–5.

Paracalytrophora hawaiiensis: Cairns, 2016b: 94 , figs. 46D, 54–55.

Types and Type Locality. The holotype (USNM 1071425) and paratypes are deposited at the NMNH. Type Locality: 18˚42’35”N, 158˚15’19”W (near Cross Seamount, Hawaii), 367 m.

Material Examined. EX 1703-2-1, 7.19˚S, 173.64˚W (Pao Pao, Tokelau Islands), 464 m, 9 unbranched distal branch fragments from same colony, and SEM stubs 2510-2514, USNM 1453680 ; EX 1702-2-2, 14.29˚S, 169.5˚W (off American Samoa), 448 m, 10 unbranched branch fragments from same colony, USNM 1453585 ; FK 17-90, 3˚44.030’S, 170˚43.131’W (off Rawaki Island , Phoenix Islands), 601 m, 17 October 2017, 1 colony, Temple Uni- versity .

Remarks and Comparisons. This species was adequately described and figured by Cairns (2009) and thus will not be redescribed or fully figured herein. As noted by Cairns (2009), P. hawaiiensis is similar to P. echinata Cairns, 2009 , a species also known from the Hawaiian Islands but generally found in deeper water. Although the specimens reported herein are slightly different from the type series (i.e., their polyps are slightly larger and their coenenchymal scales bear low ridges), they are otherwise consistent with P. hawaiiensis , and differ from P. echinata in usually having a pair of prominent adaxial buccal scales (each up to 0.6 mm in diameter), smaller basal spines, a bushy colony (not uniplanar), and in having long distal branches (up to 13 cm). Although the types were described as being uniplanar, it is clear even from the holotype that additional flabellate branches overlapped the primary, and the specimens collected herein show that as the colony grows larger (e.g., USNM 1453680, 60 cm tall and 88 cm in width) it becomes bushy ( Fig. 1T ) and has long distal end branches. That colony was also host to several crinoids and an orange-striped galatheid crab, matching the color of the colony ( Fig. 1T ).

These records partially fill a void between the two previously known occurrences of the species from Hawaii and Lord Howe Rise, indicating that it may be a widespread species in the southwest Pacific.

Distribution. Southeast Hawaiian Islands (Cairns 2009), southern Lord Howe Rise ( Cairns 2016b), Tokelau

Islands, Phoenix Islands, American Samoa, 320– 970 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. In situ images of various species: A, Callogorgia cracentis, holotype. B, Calyptrophora lyra, holotype (not in situ). C, C. diaphana, EX1606-9-1. D, C. carinata, holotype. E, C. clarki, EX1605-L3-6. F, C. pourtalesi, holotype. G, C. distolos, holotype. H, Candidella gigantea, EX1606-6. I, Macroprimnoa ornata, holotype. J, Narella virgosa, holotype. K-L, N. aurantiaca, holotype. M, N. merga, holotype. N, N. horrida, EX1703-2-3. O, N. fordi, holotype. P, N. calamus, holotype. Q, N. virgosa, paratype, EX1504-L4-9-4. R, N. macrocalyx, EX1606-7. S, N. hawaiiensis, EX1504-9-2. T, Paracalyotrophora hawaiiensis, EX1703-2-1. U, P. echinata, EX1703-10-1. V, P. spiralis, holotype. W, Plumarella circumoperculum, EX1603-2-3. X, Thouarella hilgendorfi, EX1605-L1-17.

FIGURE 17. A–E (Paracalyptrophora hawaiiensis from USNM 1453680): A, lateral stereo view of polyp. B, basal scales. C, buccal scales. D, adaxial buccal scale. E, coenenchymal scales. F–J (P. echinata from USNM 1453739). F–G, stereo views of lateral and abaxial sides of a polyp. H, basal scales. I, buccal scale. J, coenenchymal scales. Scale bars in mm.