Alcyonium yepayek, Ofwegen, Van, 2007

Ofwegen, Van, 2007, The genus Alcyonium (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Alcyoniidae) in Chile, Zootaxa 1607, pp. 1-19 : 18-19

Alcyonium yepayek n. sp.

( Figs. 1 i, 2h, 10)

Holotype: RMNH Coel. 34948, Chile, Canal Pitt Chico, 50°50'07.1" S, 74°08'20.9" W, depth 17 m, very mixed, steep walls, strong current, lots of hydrocorals and crabs, coll. VH & GF, 7 March 2006.

Paratypes: MZUC-UCCC 32684, one colony, Chile, Bernardo Area, Canal Caldcleugh N middle, 48°24'46.4'' S, 74°18'23.6'' W, depth 9 m, coll. VH & GF, 29 March 2005; RMNH Coel. 34949, two microscope slides, same data as MZUC-UCCC 32684; ZSM 20061197, one colony, Chile, Fjord Bernardo, Boca Bernardo S (Canal Farquhar), 48°34'40'' S, 74°20'18'' W, depth 13 m, coll. VH & GF, 30 March 2005.

Description. The holotype consists of three lobes encircling a gorgonian branch ( Fig. 1 i). The largest lobe is one cm long and wide, the other two are smaller, a real stalk is lacking.

Because all polyps were retracted in the material studied the arrangement of anthocodial sclerites was not examined. The collaret spindles are up to 0.35 mm long, with simple tubercles ( Fig. 10 a). Points have spindles similar to those of the collaret, with clubs present distally, up to 0.15 mm long ( Fig. 10 b). In the tentacles spiny rods are found, up to 0.15 mm long ( Fig. 10 c).

The surface layer of the lobes has small clubs, mostly up to 0.15 mm long, a few up to 0.25 mm long, with leafy heads, and many of them with a central wart ( Fig. 10 d); the interior has spindles with simple tubercles, up to 0.40 mm long ( Fig. 10 e).

The surface layer of the base of the colony has tiny capstans ( Fig. 10 f), up to 0.10 mm long; the interior has spindles and rods, up to 0.25 mm long ( Fig. 10 g–h).

Colour. Alive ( Fig. 2 h) and preserved the colonies are orange. Most anthocodial and the smaller interior sclerites are colourless, all others yellow.

Etymology. The species is named after the vessel of the CONAF (national park rangers) of the XIIth region, Yepayek , on which the sampling expeditions were carried out.

Habitat, distribution and abundance. The species was found between 9 and 17 m on rocky and biogenic substrata (mussels) of channels in the Central Patagonian Zone (48°24'46.4'' S, 74°18'23.6'' W to 50°50'07.1" S, 74°08'20.9" W). Locally it was abundant.

Variability. Both MZUC-UCCC 32684 and ZSM 20061197 are a few cm high and about 1.5 cm wide, with digitiform colony shape, although some slight swellings, which could be the beginning of lobes, are visible. Contrary to the holotype both paratypes have clubs in the base of the colony; these are up to 0.10 mm long, and similar in shape to the clubs of the top of the colony.

Remarks. Alcyonium yepayek n. sp. resembles A. jorgei n. sp. with regards to the internal rods, but differs in having wider lobes and most clubs having a central wart. It also resembles A. glaciophilum n. sp. but that species has much longer rods in the interior, which are also present in the top of the colony.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Live colonies; a, holotype Alcyonium glaciophilum; b – c, A. haddoni; d – e, A. jorgei; f, holotype A. roseum; g, paratype A. roseum; h, A. yepayek.

FIGURE 10. Alcyonium yepayek n. sp., holotype RMNH Coel. 34948; a, collaret spindles; b, point clubs; c, tentacular rods; d, clubs of surface layer of top of colony; e, spindles of interior of top of colony; f, capstans of surface layer of base of colony; g, spindles of interior of base of colony; h, rods of interior of base of colony. Scales 0.10 mm, that at e applies to e only, that at a to all others.

FIGURE 1. a, RMNH Coel. 34935, holotype Alcyonium glaciophilum n. sp.; b, A. grandis ZSM 20061187; c, A. grandis RMNH Coel. 34936; d, two syntypes of A. haddoni; e, A. haddoni RMNH Coel. 34937; f, A. haddoni RMNH Coel. 34938; g, RMNH Coel. 34942, holotype of A. jorgei; h, RMNH Coel. 34946, holotype of A. roseum; i, RMNH Coel. 34948, holotype of A. yepayek. Scales 1 cm, that at c only applies to c, that at h only to h.