Crispatotrochus cornu (Moseley, 1881)

Cairns, Stephen D. & Polonio, Virginia, 2013, New records of deep-water Scleractinia off Argentina and the Falkland Islands, Zootaxa 3691 (1) : -

Crispatotrochus cornu (Moseley, 1881)

Figs. 2 L–M, 3A–B, 10

Cyathoceras cornu Moseley, 1881: 156 –157, pl. 4, fig. 7 (in part: Challenger 320).—Cairns, 1979: 67, pl. 12, figs. 1, 3 (lectotype designated).

Crispatotrochus cornu: Cairns, 1991: 15 .—Kitahara & Cairns, 2008: 63 (key to species in genus).

Remarks. This species had previously been known from only one specimen, the lectotype, which was briefly redescribed and figured by Cairns (1979). Most of the specimens reported herein are all larger than the apparent juvenile lectotype and thus afford a greater analysis of variation. The largest corallum (PAT0209DR14) is 23.8 x 20.1 mm in CD, 7.1 mm in PD, and 27.3 mm in height. The range of GCD:LCD is 1.01–1.18; the range of PD:GCD = 0.3–0.4. The theca is white and porcellaneous, with granulation apparent only near the base of the coralla. As the corallum get larger, additional pairs of S5 are added, often as outpocketings of the calice, each of which contain several septa, the largest corallum having 80 septa – still not a full fifth cycle. This outpocketing, similar to that of Desmophyllum dianthus forma capense Gardiner, 1904 , results in an irregular calicular outline ( Fig. 2 L). S1–2 are equal in size, their axial edges usually fused to the fascicular columella. The axial edges of the S1–3 are sinuous, and their faces are undulated, having short, discontinuous oblique ridges along the summit of the undulations composed of rectangular granules. The fossa is relatively shallow and the columella is composed of a variable number of wide, loosely twisted elements.

Distribution. Continental slope off northern to central Argentina ( Fig. 10), at depths of 586–1629 m. The specimens reported herein expand the known distribution to the south and increase the known bathymetric range, which was previously only 1097 m.

Material. PAT0108DR14, 1, MNCN; PAT0108DR16, 6, MNCN; PAT1108DR4, 8, MNCN; PAT1108DR5, 7, MNCN; PAT1108DR11, 7, MNCN; PAT1208DR11, 1, MNCN; PAT0209DR1, 15, MNCN; PAT0209DR3, 4, MNCN; PAT0209DR4, 29, MNCN, and 1, USNM 1193290; PAT0209DR5, 3, MNCN; PAT0209DR7, 4, MNCN; PAT0209DR8, 16, MNCN; PAT0209DR9, 11, MNCN; PAT0209DR11, 12, MNCN; PAT0209DR12, 7, MNCN; PAT0209DR14, 14, MNCN, and 1, USNM 1193289; PAT0209DR15, 10, MNCN; PAT0209DR16, 23, MNCN, and 1, USNM 1193291; PAT0210DR5, 1, USNM 1193286 and 1193288; PAT0210DR7, 3, MNCN; PAT0210DR9, 7, MNCN; PAT0210BC19, 2, MNCN; ATL09Lo92, 1, USNM 1193287; ATL09Lo100, 1, USNM 1193285; ATL09Lo101, 1, USNM.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A – C, Bathelia candida: A, PAT 1008 DR 5, rarely observed case of intratentacular budding; B – C, PAT 0210 DR 10, a calice and branch fragment, respectively. D – E, Caryophyllia antarctica, PAT 0209 DR 4, calicular and lateral views of corallum. F – G, C. squiresi, PAT 1208 DR 6, calicular and lateral views of corallum. H – I, C. kellerae, holotype, stereo calicular and lateral views of corallum. J – K, C. coronula, holotype, stereo calicular and lateral views of corallum. L – M, Crispatotrochus cornu, PAT 0209 DR 14, stereo calicular and lateral views of corallum.