Two new species of Dendrobrachia Brook, 1889 (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Dendrobrachiidae) from the north-eastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean

Authors

  • Pablo J. López-González Biodiversidad y Ecología de Invertebrados Marinos, Departamento de Fisiología y Zoología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla
  • Marina R. Cunha Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e Mar (CESAM), Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2010.74n3423

Keywords:

Octocorallia, Dendrobrachia, north-eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, new species

Abstract


Examination of recent benthic material collected during several cruises in the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic) and the Strait of Sicily (Mediterranean) has allowed the taxonomic reassessment of some previously identified specimens belonging to the monogeneric gorgonian family Dendrobrachiidae Brook, 1889. Dendrobrachia fallax Brook, 1889 is the type species of the single genus in this family, and was originally described from Ascension Island (South Atlantic). Subsequently, other authors reported the presence of this species in Cape Verde Islands (north-eastern Atlantic) and some Mediterranean localities (Alboran Sea and the Strait of Sicily). The study of the specimen from the Prince of Monaco collections in Cape Verde Islands, and recently collected material from the Gulf of Cadiz (north-eastern Atlantic) and in the south of Malta (Mediterranean), materials previously considered as D. fallax, allow us to recognize two undescribed species in this genus. All previous records of D. fallax from the north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean should be considered incorrect. Opresko and Bayer (1991) added two additional species of Dendrobrachia. Two new species are described here and compared with their congeners.

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References

Bayer, F.M., M. Grasshoff and J. Verseveldt. – 1983. Illustrated trilingual glossary of morphological and anatomical terms applied to Octocorallia. E.J. Brill/Dr. W. Backhuys, Leiden.

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Berntson, E.A., F.M. Bayer, A.G. McArthur and S.C. France. – 2001. Phylogenetic relationships within the Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) based on nuclear 18S rRNA sequences. Mar. Biol., 138: 235-246. doi:10.1007/s002270000457

Brook, G. – 1889. Report on the Antipatharia. Rept. Sci. Res. Voyage Challenger, Zool. 32: i-vi + 1-222.

Magalhães, V.H. – 2007. Authigenic carbonates and fluid escape structures in the Gulf of Cadiz. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. Aveiro.

Opresko, D.M. and F.M. Bayer. – 1991. Rediscovery of the enigmatic coelenterate Dendrobrachia, (Octocorallia: Gorgonacea) with description of two new species. Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust., 114(1): 1-19.

Thomson, J.A. – 1910. Note on Dendrobrachia fallax Brook, a rare and remarkable antipatharian. J. R. Microscop. Soc., 1910: 142-143.

Zibrowius H. and M. Taviani. – 2005. Remarkable sessile fauna associated with deep coral and other calcareous substrates in the Strait of Sicily Mediterranean Sea. In: Freiwald A. and J.M. Roberts (eds), Cold-water Corals and Ecosystems, pp 807-819. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg.

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Published

2010-09-30

How to Cite

1.
López-González PJ, Cunha MR. Two new species of Dendrobrachia Brook, 1889 (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Dendrobrachiidae) from the north-eastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean. Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2010Sep.30 [cited 2024Mar.19];74(3):423-34. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1171

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