Azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) - Western ...

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Genus Trochocyathus Milne Edwards and
Haime, 1848a
Trochocyathus philippinensis Semper, 1872
Trochocyathus philippinensis 5emper, 1872: 253, pI.
20, fig. 16.-Cairns and Zibrowius, 1997: 107­
108, figs. 10 d-e (synonymy and description).
New Records
Soela: stn 02/82/l0A, 7: 4 (WAM 49-84), 3
(U5NM 96991); stn 02/82/51,1, WAM 115-83.
Lady Basten: stn LB5(s), 19, WAM 26-96; stn
LB5(t), 1, WAM 454-96.
Distribution
Western Australia: continental shelf of
northwestern coast off Port Hedland; 100-154 m.
Elsewhere: western Pacific from Ryukyu Islands to
Banda Sea; 100-268 m (Cairns and Zibrowius 1997).
Trochocyathus apertus Cairns and Zibrowius,
1997
Caryophyllia (Premocyathus> compressa - Wells, 1956:
F422, fig. 323,3.
Premocyathus compressus - Cairns, 1984: 14 (in part:
Albatross specimens).-Veron, 1986: 605, black
and white fig.
Trochocyathus apertus Cairns and Zibrowius, 1997:
109-110, figs. 11 a-d.
New Records
None.
Remarks
As the synonymy indicates, this species of
Trochocyathus has been confused with Premocyathus
compressus Yabe and Eguchi, 1942 by several
authors. Although their coralla are quite similar ­
both species having curved coralla with an open
base - T. apertus differs in having a papillose (not
fascicular) columella and rudimentary PI-2 as well
as well-developed P3.
Distribution
Western Australia: Veron (1986) illustrated a
specimen from Point Cloates, WA (20-?230 m),
which is the only known record from this state.
Elsewhere: Philippines and Indonesia; 33-70 m
(Cairns and Zibrowius 1997). ?Great Barrier Reef
(Veron, 1986).
Genus Paracyathus Milne Edwards and Haime,
1848a
Paracyathus rotundatus Semper, 1872
Paracyathus rotundatus 5emper, 1872: 253-254, pI.
S.D. Cairns
20, figs. 15a, b.-Faustino, 1927: 72-73, pI. 5,
figs. 13-14.-Cairns and Zibrowius, 1997: 115­
116, figs 13 d-e.
?Paracyathus caeruleus Duncan, 1889: 5, pI. 1, figs.
1D-11.
?Paracyathus merguiensis Duncan, 1889: 6, pI. 1, figs.
12-14.
New Records
Soela: stn 05/82/22, 1, WAM 53-83; stn 05/82/
71, 1, WAM 80-83.
Distribution
Western Australia: continental shelf off Dampier
Archipelago; 30-40 m. Elsewhere: western Pacific
from 50uth China 5ea to Indonesia; 18-66 m
(Cairns and Zibrowius 1997); ?Mergui Archipelago
(Duncan 1889).
Paracyathus ?fulvus Alcock, 1893
Figure 4 d, g
Paracyathus fulvus Alcock, 1893: 139-140, pI. 5, figs.
2,2a.
New Records
Soela: stn 01/84/54, 3: 2 (WAM 21-85), 1 (U5NM
96993); stn 01/84/109, 1, WAM 693-84.
Redescription
Corallum subcylindrical and squat, the 3 known
specimens all firmly attached to the tip of the
siphonal canal of a gastropod shell, also encrusting
the shell with a thin costate, granular coenosteum
as far as 20 mm from the pedicel. Largest Western
Australian specimen (WAM 21-85) 12.8 x 11.9 mm
in calicular diameter and 10.8 mm in height. Calice
circular to slightly elliptical (GCD:LCD = 1.0-1.12).
Costae broad (0.8-1.0 mm), slightly convex, and
covered with small granules such that 4-7 occur
across the width of one costa near the calicular
edge. Corallum white except for the 51, which are
light brown near calicular edge. Septa hexamerally
arranged in 4 complete cycles (48 septa):
51>52>54>53. 51 moderately exsert (up to 2.5 mm),
thick, and extend about 2/3 distance to columella.
52 about 1.5 mm exsert and 3/4 width of the 51. 53
1.0 mm exsert and 3/4 width of the 53.54 as exsert
as the 52, each pair of 54 being fused to an 51 at
the calicular edge in a lancetted profile; 54 slightly
wider than 53. All septa have moderately sinuous
inner edges and granular (spinose) septal faces. 51­
3 bear 1-4 slender paliform lobes, each progressive
cycle of lobes rising slightly higher in the fossa. P4
paliform lobes merge with the P3 adjacent to
columella. All paliform lobes bear oblique carinae,
merging with the columella toward center of fossa.
Fossa of moderate depth, containing a well-