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| Pseudopterogorgia nanjiensis Sun, Xu & Zhan, in Sun, Y. Xu, K. Xu, Chen, Xie et Zhan, 2024. |
Abstract
Members of the genus Pseudopterogorgia Kükenthal, 1919 are widely distributed in shallow water of the Indo-West Pacific. During an investigation of benthic biodiversity in the subtidal zone surrounding the Nanji Islands in the East China Sea, two specimens of Pseudopterogorgia were collected and described as a new species based on an integrated morphological-molecular approach. Pseudopterogorgia nanjiensis sp. nov. is most similar to P. fredericki Williams & Vennam, 2001 in the irregular branching form and indistinct scaphoids, but differs by the coenenchymal sclerite content of distinct capstans and a few warty spindles and radiates (vs. mostly warty spindles and a few capstans), and a purplish colony (vs. white, pink to deep rose). Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on the mtMutS-COI gene sequences, delineated a monophyletic clade encompassing all assessed Pseudopterogorgia species. Within this clade, P. nanjiensis sp. nov. showed a close phylogenetic affinity with both P. fredericki and P. australiensis Ridley, 1884.
Key words: Anthozoa, COI, Malacalcyonacea, morphology, mtMutS, new species, phylogeny, taxonomy, 28S rDNA
Phylum Cnidaria Hatschek, 1888
Subphylum Anthozoa Ehrenberg, 1834
Class Octocorallia Haeckel, 1866
Order Malacalcyonacea McFadden, van Ofwegen & Quattrini, 2022
Family Gorgoniidae Lamouroux, 1812
Genus Pseudopterogorgia Kükenthal, 1919
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| The external morphology and polyps of Pseudopterogorgia nanjiensis sp. nov. A holotype in situ B holotype after collection C paratype after fixation D part of branch under a light microscope E single polyp aperture under a light microscope F sclerites under a light microscope G coenenchyme under SEM H single dissolved polyp aperture under a light microscope. Scale bars: 2 cm (B); 3 cm (C); 2 mm (D); 0.2 mm (E); 0.1 mm (F, G, H). |
Pseudopterogorgia nanjiensis Sun, Xu & Zhan, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Colony non-pinnate and purplish. Branches divided dichotomously and irregularly, nearly in one plane. Polyp retracted and forming a small and oval-shaped protrusion. Sclerites in polyps small flat rodlets, colorless and rare to absent in numbers. Sclerites in coenenchyme red, mostly capstans, a few radiates and warty spindles, and rare scaphoids. Capstans have two whorls of tubercles and blunt ends with irregular arrangements of complex tubercles. Radiates and immature sclerites with two whorls of projections, spindles with 4–8 whorls of tubercles, and scaphoids with similar ornamentation of tubercles on both convex and concave sides.
Tingzai Sun, Yu Xu, Kuidong Xu, Shun Chen, Shangwei Xie and Zifeng Zhan. 2024. A New gorgonian Pseudopterogorgia nanjiensis sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Gorgoniidae) from the Nanji Islands, China. ZooKeys. 1213: 237-249. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1213.126841
