A review of gorgonian coral species (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) held in the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History research collection: focus on species from Scleraxonia, Holaxonia, Calcaxonia - Part II: Species of Holaxonia, families Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae Author Horvath, Elizabeth Anne text ZooKeys 2019 860 67 182 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.860.33597 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.860.33597 1313-2970-860-67 128BC1830A6A423488931CBD2D2AF962 Leptogorgia diffusa (Verrill, 1868) Figures 16A, B, 17, 18 A-D Litigorgia diffusa Verrill, 1868a; 1868b: 397-398. Gorgonia (Litigorgia) diffusa Verrill, 1868c: 415. Leptogorgia diffusa Verrill, 1868a; 1868b: 397-398; pl V, fig. 6; pl VI, fig. 3; 1869b: 421. Nutting 1910d: 5. Bielschowsky 1918 : 30; 1929 : 112. Kuekenthal 1919 : 771; 1924 : 329-330. Hickson 1928 : 413-414. Stiasny 1935 : 29. Breedy and Guzman 2007 : 32-37. Nec Leptogorgia diffusa : Stiasny 1951 : 71 [Guyane Francaise , Ile Royale] = ( Leptogorgia punicea (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857) [see Bayer 1961 ]). Leptogorgia rubra Bielschowsky, 1918: 29 [nomen nudum]; 1929: 92-94. Kuekenthal 1919 : 911-912; 1924 : 325. Lophogorgia diffusa : Prahl et al. 1986 : 21. Type locality. (Lectotype) Gulf of Panama, Panama, Pearl Islands; additionally (Paralectotypes) Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. Type specimens. Holotype, as Litigorgia diffusa Verrill, 1868); YPM 1659a [dry]. Lectotype Breedy and Guzman 2007 : YPM 1659 [dry]. Paralectotypes Breedy and Guzman 2007 : MCZ 7081 [dry]; YPM 5151 [wet]. Breedy and Guzman (2007) believe it unlikely that YPM 1659a or 1659b are this species. Material examined. 4 lots (see Appendix 1: List of material examined). I was unable to examine the designated type specimens, but again, distinctive characters of the species made this unnecessary for ID of SBMNH specimens. Description. Colony form (Figure 16A), appearance of branch and polyp placement (with overall effect of polyp placement that of serrated or zig-zag appearance; Figure 16B) and sclerites (Figures 17, 18 A-D ) correspond with that given in description of the species in Breedy and Guzman (2007 : 32-36), although in the SBMNH material examined, the anthocodial sclerites (Figure 18A) seem exceptionally long. Figure 16. Leptogorgia diffusa , SBMNH 423090. A Colony measures 19-20 cm tall, 13.5 cm wide, at widest point B Close up, branch tips and placement of polyps on branch surface. Figure 17. Leptogorgia diffusa , SBMNH 423090, light microscopy, 10 x , showing sclerites typical of genus and this species. Note pale yellow anthocodial sclerite, upper middle portion of field, amongst deep red to mauve-pink spindles. Longest sclerites may be part of the anthocodial armature. Figure 18. Leptogorgia diffusa , SBMNH 423090, SEM image. A Anthocodial sclerites; some were surprisingly and unexpectedly long B-D Coenenchymal spindles. Images, for the most part, match those shown in Breedy and Guzman 2007 (figs 23, 24). Etymology. Latin diffuses- means spreading, perhaps in reference to open shrub-like appearance that the branches create. No discussion of the species name is given by Verrill. Distribution. From Panama and Costa Rica to southern California, at least. Remarks. The lax, flattened branches, large polyps that produce zig-zag appearance, large (and in this case, long) anthocodial rods and the dull brick-red coloring are clear diagnostic features for this species. The species is listed as an accepted form in Cordeiro et al. (2018c) .