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A new species of alcyonacean octocoral from the Peruvian zoogeographic region

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2014

Odalisca Breedy  and
Hector M. Guzman
Odalisca Breedy*
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas, PO Box 11501-2060, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PO Box 0843-03092, Panama, Republic of Panama
Hector M. Guzman
Affiliation:
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PO Box 0843-03092, Panama, Republic of Panama
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: O. Breedy, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas, P.O. Box 11501-2060, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica email: odaliscab@gmail.com
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Abstract

The first record of the plexaurid genus Psammogorgia from the shallow waters of Peru is reported here. A new species (Psammogorgia hookeri sp. nov.) is described from Isla San Gallán, Paracas National Reserve. The new species was morphologically analysed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It is distinguished from the others in the genus by its small size; prominent calyces with wide lips around polyp apertures and without a special type of sclerites, but with a concentration of irregular, thorny spindles and wart-clubs around the calyx rim; coenenchymal sclerites that do not reach more than 0.2 mm long; the occurrence of conspicuous star-like radiates; and the colour of the colony and coenenchymal sclerites, which is coral red. The results increase species richness within a genus that has not been studied for more than a century, and contribute to the establishment of characters for further morphological studies. Additionally, the new species adds value to existing protected areas and to the octocoral biodiversity records for the Peruvian region and the eastern Pacific.

Keywords

biodiversityeastern Pacificmarine protected areanew speciesOctocoralliaoctocoralsPeruvian zoogeographic regionplexauridsPsammogorgia
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 3 , May 2014 , pp. 493 - 498
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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