Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) crosnieri Cairns & Zibrowius 1997

New Caledonia (Cairns & Zibrowius, 1997), 165-1434 m (but more common between 165 and 640 m); Madagascar Plateau (Cairns & Keller, 1993), 630-680 m; New Zealand (Cairns, 1995), 165-590 m; Philippines and Indonesia (Cairns & Zibrowius, 1997), 206-330 m; Australian seamounts, and north eastern and western coasts (Cairns, 1998; 2004), 133-1400 m; Wallis and Futuna, 550-600 m; and Vanuatu region (Cairns, 1999), 366-536 m.

Corallum ceratoid, straight to slightly curved, and attached by a robust pedicel (PD:GCD = 0.5-0.71). Theca granular and porcellanous. Costae flat to slightly convex separated by thin, shallow striae near calicular edge, however, sometimes C1-2 ridged and sinuous. Corallum yellowish-brown (including septa, pali, and columella), but darker near calicular edge. Base and pedicel white. Septa hexamerally arranged in 4 cycles (6:6:12:24 [48 septa]) according to formula: S1>S2>S4≥S3. S1 highly exsert, extending to columella with straight and slightly convex upper edge, which becomes vertical deeper in fossa. S2 less exsert and narrower than S1, having slightly sinuous axial edges. S3 least exsert septa and equal or slightly smaller than S4. Upper edge of S3 oblique, becoming vertical at same level of the upper edge of P3. Axial edge of S3 sinuous. S4 dimorphic: those adjacent to S1 wider than S3, and those adjacent to S2 equal in width to S3. Upper, outer edge of S4 fuses to adjacent S1 or S2 forming low triangular lancets at calicular edge. Septal faces covered with blunt triangular granules, which sometimes fuse forming small carinae perpendicular to plane of septa. A well-developed and sinuous pali (P3) separated by a moderately deep notch present before each S3. Sometimes lateral palar faces bear short carinae. Fossa deep, containing a fascicular columella aligned in axis of GCD and composed of 7 to 12 highly twisted elements that always terminate lower in fossa than palar crown.