Endopsammia philippensis Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848

Filander, Zoleka N., Kitahara, Marcelo V., Cairns, Stephen D., Sink, Kerry J. & Lombard, Amanda T., 2021, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from South Africa, ZooKeys 1066, pp. 1-198 : 1

Endopsammia philippensis Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848

Fig. 9M, N

Endopsammia philippensis Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848b: 91, pl. 1, figs 5, 5A. -Faustino 1927: 243-244, pl. 77, figs 5, 6. -Pillai and Scheer 1976: 71-72. - Cairns and Zibrowius 1997: 188, fig. 28C-E. - Cairns 2001: 23, pls 5H, I. -Cairns 2004a: 316.

Balanophyllia regularis . -van der Horst 1922: 63. -van der Horst 1926: 50, pl. 3, figs 10, 11.

Endopsammia philippinensis . - Wells 1964: 118, pl. 2, figs 12, 13. - Cairns 1991: 26. - Cairns and Keller 1993: 221.

Certotrochus brunneus . - Boshoff 1981: 36.

Type locality.

Philippines, depth unknown ( Milne-Edwards and Haime 1848b).

Type material.

The holotype is deposited at the NHMUK or MNHN ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997; Cairns 2001, 2004a).

Material examined.

ORI_DIIIb1 (2 specimens): Eastern margin, 33 km from Durban/ 31 km off Beachwood Mangroves, 29°55'00.00"S, 31°19'59.99"E; 442 m.

Imagery data.

SAM_H1576 (1 specimen): Eastern margin, 35 km from Port Edward/10 km off Mtentu Estuary, 31°18'00.00"S, 29°58'00.00"E; depth unknown.

Description.

Corallum conical to sub-cylindrical, relatively small, attached to substrate by a thin encrusting base. Calice circular and calicular margin lanceted. Largest specimen examined (ORI_DIIIb) 7.80 × 7.70 mm in CD, 8.20 mm in H. Epitheca thin and extending ¾ of lower corallum. Theca near calicular margin porous and non-costate. Corallum white.

Septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles, last cycle being incomplete, according to the formula: S1 ≥ S2> S3> S4 (≤ 30 septa). S1 slightly exsert and reaches columella. Higher cycle septa (S2-4) progressively less exsert (if at all). S2 equal or ¾ the width of S1. S3 being 1/4 the width of S2, sometimes rudimentary in some half-systems without S4. S4, if present, rudimentary. All septa bear dentate to slightly laciniate axial margins. Septa faces bearing spines. Fossa shallow, containing a spongy or rudimentary columella.

Distribution.

Regional: Eastern margin of South Africa, from north of Port Edward extending towards Durban; 442 m. Elsewhere: Philippines ( Milne-Edwards and Haime 1848b); Indonesia ( Cairns and Zibrowius 1997); Indian Ocean islands (Maldives, Zanzibar, Seychelles, Chagos) (van der Horst 1926; Pillai and Scheer 1976); tropical Pacific Ocean; Loyalty Islands; Queensland; Papua New Guinea ( Wells 1964; Cairns and Zibrowius 1997; Cairns 2004a); 0-73 m.

Remarks.

Among congeners ( Endopsammia regularis (Gardiner, 1899) and E. pourtalesi (Durham & Barnard, 1952)), E. philippensis closely resembles E. regularis in having septa hexamerally arranged in four incomplete cycles, in corallum being solitary (relatively squat), and bearing an epitheca that extends ¾ of the corallum height. However, they differ as E. regularis has exsert septa. Although E. pourtalesi also has septa arranged hexamerally in four incomplete cycles, this species is distinguished from E. philippensis by its quasi-colonial coralla with slender corallites, presence of endothecal dissepiments, and bearing non-exsert septa ( Cairns 1991). Endopsammia philippensis has previously been documented in the southwest Indian Ocean (van der Horst 1922, 1026; Cairns and Keller 1993), therefore the examined Boshoff (1981) material (ORI_DIIIb1) represents a species range extension further south of Zanzibar, and a new record for South Africa.

Figures

Figure 9. A, B Dendrophyllia sp. 1 (SAMC _ A 090158, off Knysna, 333 m A close-up calicular view B lateral view C, G Ednapsammia columnapriva sp. nov. C, D (SAM _ H 1441, off Mossel Bay, 212 m) C calicular view D lateral view E-G (SAMC _ A 090159, off Gouritsmond, 333 m) E calicular view F lateral view G calicular view H Enallopsammia pusilla (DSCS-INV 238, off Gouritsmond, 333 m): lateral view. I, J Enallopsammia rostrata (SAMC _ A 073270, off Port St Johns, 200 m) I close up calicular view J lateral view K, L Endopachys grayi (DEFF _ NANSEN-INV 32, off Shaka's Rock, 185 m) K calicular view L lateral view M, N Endopsammia philippensis (DIIIb 1, off Durban, 442 m) M calicular view N lateral view O, P Heteropsammia cochlea (EIe 1, locality data unknown) O calicular view P lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm (A-C, E-I, K-P); 100 mm (D, J).