Rhodolitica, Breedy & Ofwegen & McFadden & Murillo-Cruz, 2021

Breedy, Odalisca, Ofwegen, Leen van, McFadden, Catherine S. & Murillo-Cruz, Catalina, 2021, Rhodolitica on rhodoliths: a new stoloniferan genus (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea), ZooKeys 1032, pp. 63-77 : 63

Genus Rhodolitica gen. nov.

Diagnosis.

Colonies composed of tubular, single, erect anthosteles up to 8 mm tall and closely spaced, 1-3 mm apart forming interconnected groups of 2-15 anthosteles. Anthosteles arise directly from thin basal ribbon-like stolons that encrust irregular surfaces of living rhodoliths. Stolons composed of conspicuous red brittle fused sclerites not extending into anthostelar walls. Bright red coenenchymal sclerites compose the anthostelar walls, including long warty spindles, up to 0.27 mm in length; complexly warted cylindrical spindles up to 0.32 mm long; bent spindles and smaller crosses and radiates. Polyps whitish to transparent. Anthocodiae retractile, armed with eight interseptal points of slender warty spindles, up to 0.24 mm long, and small orange biscuit-like rods along the tentacles. Collaret absent. Collected specimens were preserved with the anthocodiae partially or totally retracted therefore a full description of polyps was not possible.

Colour of colonies bright red. Azooxanthellate.

Type species.

Rhodolitica occulta spec. nov. by original designation.

Etymology.

The generic name is in reference to the substratum to which the colonies were attached: rhodolith rocks.