Shallow-water zoantharians (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia) from the Central Indo-Pacific
Author
Reimer, James D.
Author
Poliseno, Angelo
Author
Hoeksema, Bert W.
text
ZooKeys
2014
444
1
57
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.444.7537
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.444.7537
1313-2970-444-1
FB83BDD3958A456DBFEA9C6C28D3E4D5
FB83BDD3958A456DBFEA9C6C28D3E4D5
Taxon classification Animalia Zoantharia Hydrozoanthidae
16.
Terrazoanthus sp. 1
Figures 14A, B, 15
Specimens examined
(n=1). RMNH Coel 40469, Fauna Malesiana Maluku Expedition station MAL.05, Leitimur, outer Ambon Bay, Tanjung Bentang, Ambon, Moluccas (
03°35'S
,
128°05'E
), depth = NA, collected on November 7, 1996 by J.C. den Hartog.
Photographic records
(n=1). West Pulau Badi, Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi (
04°58'06"S
,
119°16'57"E
), September 29, 1997.
Description.
Azooxanthellate. Polyps well free and clear of coenenchyme. Outer surface of polyps covered with dense incrustation of irregularly sized sand particles, reminiscent of
Microzoanthus
sp. Oral disk semi-translucent with dark, almost black coloration, except for oral opening, which is much lighter in color. 40 to 50 tentacles, at least as long as oral disk diameter, with same blackish coloration as oral disk, with terminal 1/4 whitish in coloration. Colonies attached to non-living substrate. Specimen RMNH Coel 40469 is apparently a fragment of a whole colony, while the photographic record shows a colony of approximately 50 polyps arising from a common coenenchyme (Figure 14A). The single specimen had polyps averaging 6.8 mm in length (n=3) and 3.1 mm in width (n=6).
Figure 14. Images of
Terrazoanthus
species from photographic records in this study. A and B
Terrazoanthus
sp. 1 at the west side of Pulau Badi, Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, September 29, 1997; and C and D
Terrazoanthus
sp. 2 at the west side of Bone Lola shoal, Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, April 22, 1998.
Distribution.
Regions recorded in this study (Figure 15). Spermonde Archipelago (9), Moluccas (14).
Previous records. None, although similar undescribed specimens have been photographed in the Philippines (P. Poppe, pers. comm.), and collected from Okinawa, Japan (Reimer, unpubl. data), indicating a potential West Pacific distribution.
Figure 15. Distribution of
Terrazoanthus
species from specimens and photographic records from this study.
Terrazoanthus
sp. 1 specimens in red, and
Terrazoanthus
sp. 2 in green. Region numbers correspond to locations given in
species'
information. Boxes indicate presence of specimens (with or without photographic records), while circles indicate only photographic records. Overlapping symbols indicate the same region.
Remarks.
This species is similar in appearance but different in coloration to
Terrazoanthus onoi
from the Galapagos and west coast of Central and South America.