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Corallites ceratoid, often slightly curved, long, and slender: up
to 25 mm long and usually 4-6 mm in diameter, but some large
corallites up to 11 mm in diameter. Calices circular to slightly
elliptical. Costae usually not present, the theca covered with
low, closely spaced, rounded granules. Occasionally C^_2
expressed as low ridges near calice. Corallum white.
Septa irregularly arranged in 3 or 4 size classes. Six to 12
primary septa define an equal number of sectors, each sector
bisected by a smaller secondary septum. Another cycle of
ternaries follows and a variable number of quaternaries, 32-66
septa per calice being the most common totals for those
examined. Primary septa fairly highly exsert (up to 1.2 mm),
quite thin, and relatively narrow, their straight, vertical inner
edges reaching halfway to calice center. Secondary septa about
half width of primaries and correspondingly less exsert.
Tertiaries quite small, but slightly enlarged if flanked by a pair
of quaternaries. Lower, inner edges of all septa slightly sinuous.
Septal faces smooth, covered by very small, low, rounded
granules. Tabular endothecal dissepiments present low in fossa.
Fossa deep and often curved, such that base cannot be seen.
Columella usually absent, but occasionally expressed as a small
crispate lath.
DISCUSSION.—As discussed by Cairns (1979, 1991a), both
L. californica and Dendrosmilia nomlandi are considered to be
junior synonyms of L. prolifera (= L. pertusa). Lophelia
californica represents the gracilis variation (sensu Duncan,
1873), characterized by delicate, slender, elongate corallites.
Also typical of this form is extremely profuse budding. D.
nomlandi represents the more robust brachycephala variation
(sensu Moseley, 1881), characterized by short, stout corallites
and, in this case, a rudimentary columella.
MATERIAL EXAMINED.—New Records: Alb-2946, 10
colonies, USNM 92606; Alb-2948, 1 branch, USNM 19215;
Alb-2984, 4 colonies, USNM 19237; Alb-2987, 10 colonies,
USNM 19247; R/V Washington, 32°55'N, 127°47'W (Fieberling
Seamount), 440-488 m, 1 branch, USNM 83582; Cobb
Seamount, 415 m, branches, USNM 78616; Cobb Seamount,
312 m, 2 branches, USNM 78605; Saucer Dive 345, off Bird
Rock, La Jolla, 110-200 m, many fragments, SIO Co 532; TM
(KT7414, B2), 1 branch, USNM 92611, 1 branch, ORI.
Previous Records: Holotype of Dendrosmilia nomlandi.
TYPES.—The Linnaean type of M. pertusa appears to be lost
(Zibrowius, 1980). Type Locality: Not stated, but probably
the fjords of Norway.
The holotype of L. californica, stated to be deposited at the
Los Angeles County Museum (2001), is no longer there and is
presumed to be lost (G. Hendler, pers. comm.). Type
Locality: Off "Southern California," depth unknown.
The holotype of Dendrosmilia nomlandi (Plate 9h,i) is
deposited at the SBMNH (35559) ex. AHF 15. Type Locality:
VeleroA 172-40: 8.8 km southeast of Santa Catalina, 82-
274 m.
DISTRIBUTION.—Northeastern Pacific: known primarily
from offshore seamounts and islands, including: Cobb Seamount,
Washington; Channel Islands; off La Jolla (Bird Rock);
SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY
Fieberling Seamount; and Isla de Guadelupe, off Baja
California, Mexico; 82-488 m. Northwestern Pacific: Suruga
Bay, Honshu; 150-340 m (first record for western Pacific).
Elsewhere: Amphi-Atlantic (Cairns, 1979); northeast of
Madagascar (Cairns and Keller, 1993) and off South Africa;
Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands (Zibrowius, 1974a); and
Macquarie Ridge (Cairns, 1982); 60-2170 m. Lophelia pertusa
is a framework species of deep-water coral banks (Cairns and
Stanley, 1982), often providing the substrate for attachment by
Desmophyllum dianthus.
Superfamily FLABELLOIDAE
Family FLA BELLI DAK
Flabellum Lesson, 1831
DIAGNOSIS.—Corallum solitary, fixed or free. Corallum
ceratoid, campanulate, or compressed; base not reinforced with
stereome. Wall epithecal, usually lacking costae. Transverse
division lacking. Pali, dissepiments, and synapticulae absent.
Columella rudimentary: a simple fusion of lower inner edges of
larger septa. Exclusively azooxanthellate.
Subgenus Flabellum (Flabellum) Lesson, 1831
DIAGNOSIS.—Flabellum with a smooth (not serrate) calicular
edge.
TYPE SPECIES.—Flabellum pavoninum Lesson, 1831, by
monotypy.
Flabellum (F.) sp. A
PLATE \0a,b
DESCRIPTION.—Corallum ceratoid, largest specimen examined
(Plate \0a,b) 25.8 x 21.5 mm in calicular diameter and
38.5 mm in height, with a pedicel diameter of 4.1 mm and a
basal plate diameter of 5.3 mm. Three of the 7 specimens
reported herein attached to epitheca of conspecific specimens.
Thin, shallow, longitudinal intercostal striae visible on worn
specimens, otherwise, well-preserved coralla display transverse
epithecal bands encircling the theca. Calice slightly elliptical
(GCD:LCD = about 1.2); calicular edge very slightly scalloped,
the outer edges of the S^ rising about 0.8 mm as apices.
Septa hexamerally arranged in 5 complete cycles according
to the formula: S1_2>S3»S4_5. A juvenile corallum only 4.8
mm in calicular diameter has only 2 cycles of septa (12),
whereas at a calicular diameter of 5.2 mm a full third cycle (24)
is present and at a calicular diameter of 11.6 mm a full fourth
plus 3 pairs of S5 are present (54 septa). The illustrated
specimen (GCD = 25.8 mm) has a perfectly symmetrical
arrangement of 5 cycles (96 septa). All septa nonexsert and
quite thin, their faces covered with small, pointed granules.
Su2 have straight inner edges, which fuse to one another deep
in fossa. S3 one-half to two-thirds width of Su2, their inner
edges reaching deep into fossa but not joining to Su2 fusion.
S4 one-tenth to one-third width of S3; S5 rudimentary, less than