Narella macrocalyx Cairns & Bayer, 2007

Cairns, Stephen D., 2018, Primnoidae (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Calcaxonia) of the Okeanos Explorer expeditions (CAPSTONE) to the central Pacific, Zootaxa 4532 (1), pp. 1-43 : 23

Narella macrocalyx Cairns & Bayer, 2007

Fig. 1R

Narella macrocalyx Cairns & Bayer, 2007: 99 –103, figs. 1C, 10A–D, 11A–H.

Types and Type Locality. The holotype (USNM 1072133) and paratypes are deposited at the NMNH. Type Locality: seamount east of Necker Island (Hawaiian Islands), 1443 m.

Material Examined. EX 1504-L 2-14-2, 26.2010˚N, 173˚3255’W ( North Pioneer Ridge , Hawaiian Islands), 1587 m , 15 August 2015, USNM 1294081 ; EX 1606-3, 20.443˚N, 163.714˚ E (west of Wake Island), 1983 m , image only; EX 1606-7, 17.309˚N, 165.961˚E, (southwest of Wake Island), 2033 m , image only; EX 1606-12, 18.320˚N, 165.98˚E (southwest of Wake Island), 1258 m , image only.

Remarks. This species was adequately described and figured by Cairns & Bayer (2007) and thus will not be redescribed herein. The additional collected specimen and in situ images of three additional colonies allow the observation that it is a very sparsely branched colony, most of its three to seven long distal branches originating from the main stem within 5 cm of the base of the colony ( Fig. 1R ). Collection of a partial colony could easily be confused for an unbranched species. It would appear that most of the basal scales have a dorsolateral ridge, and that the whorl diameter may be as small as 7 mm.

The specimens reported herein extend the geographic to off Wake Island, and the known bathymetric range from 1807 to 1983 m.

Comparisons. Among the 23 species of Narella having a dorsolateral ridge on their basal scales, only one other is commensal with a polychaete worm, N. gilchristi ( Thomson, 1911) . Narella macrocalyx diffs from that species, as well as all the other species in that group by having the largest polyps and whorl diameter of any species and by having two or three pairs of adaxial buccal scales.

Distribution. Hawaiian Islands from Pioneer Bank to Molokai ( Cairns & Bayer 2007), off Wake Island, 1206– 2033 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.