dcsimg

Comprehensive Description

provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
Eguchipsammia gaditana (Duncan, 1873), comb. nov

Balanophyllia gaditana Duncan, 1873:333.

Balanophyllia fistula.—Yabe and Eguchi, 1942b: 141 [in part: ?pl. 12: fig. 15a,b).

Dendrophyllia gaditana.—Cairns, 1979:181–182, pl. 36: figs. 5–10; 1984:25, pl. 4: fig. I [synonymy].—Zibrowius, 1980:176–178, pl. 89: figs. A-N.—Cairns and Keller, 1993:279–280 [synonymy].

DESCRIPTION.—The corallum consists of a relatively slender, irregularly bent, cylindrical axial corallite from which smaller corallites bud at irregular intervals. Largest corallum (ZMC, Okinose) only 53 mm long and bears 15 secondary corallites or broken bases of corallites from the axial corallite and 1 tertiary corallite that originates from a secondary. In only one of the 17 coralla examined was there an example of intratentacular budding. All coralla examined were free, with no evidence of previous attachment to the substrate. Axial corallites (and branches) 3.0–4.9 mm in diameter; secondary corallites slightly smaller: 2.6–4.0 mm in diameter. Synapticulotheca covered by a very thin, transparent epitheca, which often extends to calicular edge and gives the theca a coarsely granular porcellaneous texture. Theca porous only near calice. Six C1 often slightly ridged, giving branches a polygonal cross section. Corallum white.

Septa arranged in a Pourtalès Plan of 3 cycles (24 septa) in small corallites and up to 36 septa in larger corallites. S1 significantly exsert (0.5–0.6 mm), along with their adjacent pairs of higher cycle septa, together forming 6 calicular apices around calicular margin. S1 relatively thin and have vertical, entire inner edges that attain the columella. In small corallites, S2 are quite small, each flanked by a pair of larger S3 that fuse before the S2 high in the fossa and extend to the columella as a combined septum. In larger corallites each system contains 5, not 3, septa, consisting of a medial S2, 1 wide S3 and 1 small S3, the latter flanked by 2 wide S4 that fuse and extend to the columella. Inner edges of S4 and those S3 that extend to the columella laciniate. Fossa of moderate depth, containing a rudimentary, spongy, nondiscrete (edges of columella merge with inner septal edges) columella.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
bibliographic citation
Cairns, Stephen D. 1994. "Scleractinia of the temperate North Pacific." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. i-150. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.557.i

Biology

provided by World Register of Marine Species
azooxanthellate

Reference

van der Land, J. (ed). (2008). UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO).

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cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Jacob van der Land [email]

Depth range

provided by World Register of Marine Species
30-988 m
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cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Stephen Cairns [email]

Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
cosmopolitan

Reference

van der Land, J. (ed). (2008). UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO).

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Jacob van der Land [email]

Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Known from seamounts and knolls

Reference

Stocks, K. 2009. Seamounts Online: an online information system for seamount biology. Version 2009-1. World Wide Web electronic publication.

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
[email]

Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
shelf to slope

Reference

van der Land, J. (ed). (2008). UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO).

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Jacob van der Land [email]