Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) solida Cairns 1991

Caryophyllia solida

?Caryophyllia diomedeae.—Wells, 1983:234–235 [part: ALB-2808].

DESCRIPTION.—Corallum subcylindrical and short, firmly attached to substrate through a thick pedicel and thin encrusting base. Largest specimen (JSL-1926) 12.3 × 12.2 mm in calicular diameter and 19.8 mm tall; holotype 11.3 × 11.0 mm in calicular diameter, 12.1 mm tall, and 8 mm in pedicel diameter. Pedicel thickened by solid dense layers of calcium carbonate, producing a stout, robust corallum. Only upper 1–2 mm of theca covered by coenosarc, the lower theca eroded and chalky in color and consistency, sometimes encrusted by other calcareous organisms. Upper theca smooth and glisteny-white, showing no intercostal striae or grooves. Costae flat, each about 0.70 mm wide, covered by very low, rounded granules 0.13–0.15 mm in diameter, which are often discemable on lower eroded theca.

Septa of nine specimens from JSL-1924 (including the holotype) decamerally arranged in three cycles (10:10:20), the largest, as well as a specimen only 5.5 mm in calicular diameter, having 40 septa and 10 pali. However, the other three specimens identified as C. solida are hexameral in symmetry, having 48 septa and 12 pali. Ten primary septa (or 12 S1–2) moderately exsert (about 1 mm above calicular edge), with vertical, slightly sinuous inner edges that attain half the distance to columella. Ten secondary septa (or 12 S3) and 20 tertiary septa (or 24 S4 progressively less exsert and wide, reaching correspondingly less distance toward columella. Septa and pali porcellaneous in texture, covered only sparsely with low granules. A crown of 10 (or 12) tall (up to 3.0 mm), slender (0.4–0.5 mm) pali occurs before the secondary septa (or S3), each palus separated from its corresponding septum by a wide gap equal to or greater than its own width (0.4–0.6 mm). Edges of pali slightly sinuous to straight, their inner edges fused to the columellar elements. Rounded upper edges of pali attain level of calicular edge. Fossa virtually nonextant, the upper edges of the pali and columellar elements all extending to upper calicular edge. Fascicular columella composed of 5 or 6 slender, twisted laths.

azooxanthellate

373-488 m

Known from seamounts and knolls