Monday, November 11, 2019

[Cnidaria • 2019] Black Corals (Anthozoa: Antipatharia) from the Southwestern Atlantic


Antipathes atlantica Gray, 1857
in Lima, Cordeiro & Pérez, 2019. 

Abstract
Black corals (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia: Antipatharia) occur in all oceans of the globe, especially at depths greater than 50 m. However, their richness is underestimated due to the scarcity of studies on this group, especially in deep waters. The south Atlantic is one of the most depauperate regions in terms of our knowledge of antipatharians. Herein, we report 34 antipatharian species for the Southwestern Atlantic. Additionally, based on the examination of museum specimens, three species are new records in the Atlantic (Parantipathes laricidesStichopathes paucispina and S. spiessi); and 17 had their distribution expanded, representing six families (Antipathidae, Cladopathidae, Leiopathidae, Myriopathidae, Schizopathidae and Stylopathidae). Additionally, the richness, distribution and associations of antipatharians are briefly discussed. An artificial key to South Atlantic antipatharians is included.

Keywords: Coelenterata, Cnidaria, Deep-sea, Seamounts, Potiguar Basin, Rio Grande Rise

Antipathes atlantica Gray, 1857


Manuela M. Lima, Ralf T.S. Cordeiro and Carlos D. Pérez. 2019. Black Corals (Anthozoa: Antipatharia) from the Southwestern Atlantic. Zootaxa. 4692(1); 1–67. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4692.1.1