dcsimg

Description

provided by Zookeys
Size: Polyps in situ approximately 2–5 mm in diameter when open, and approximately 2–3 mm in height. Morphology: Neozoanthus caleyi sp. n.has 28 to 40 (average 33±3.9, n=18 polyps on 8 colonies) conical tentacles. Tentacles are usually shorter than the expanded oral disk diameter (e.g. 50-80% of oral disk width). Tentacles may be grayish-blue, yellow, or transparent, often with black, white, or fluorescent blue bands or patterning (Figure 3). Well-developed, simple endodermal sphincter. No bractae are visible. All specimens are zooxanthellate. Polyps are externally heavily encrusted with sand and other particles of irregular sizes, excepting the oral end, which is free of encrustation and appears a bluish-gray similar to as seen in some Zoanthus species. When fully contracted, the sand-free oral end is often not visible, and polyps resemble small balls of sand. Polyps extend well clear of reduced or stoloniferous coenenchyme (Figure 3). Oral disks may be a variety of colors, including light gray-blue, white, or deep wine red. Occasionally, white, yellow, or light blue dots may be seen on the oral disk in regular circular patterns, and the oral opening (mouth) is often white in color. A “skirt” of different coloration (usually white or lighter coloration than remainder of oral disk) covering up to approximately 90 degrees of the oral disk is often seen in the area of the dorsal directive. Colonies consist of tens to <100 polyps, connected by stolons with no well-developed coenenchyme. Cnidae: Basitrichs and microbases (often difficult to distinguish), holotrichs (large and small), spirocysts (see Table S1, Figure 5).
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cc-by-3.0
copyright
James Davis Reimer, Yuka Irei, Takuma Fujii
bibliographic citation
Reimer J, Irei Y, Fujii T (2012) Two new species of Neozoanthus (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia, Zoantharia) from the Pacific ZooKeys 246: 69–87
author
James Davis Reimer
author
Yuka Irei
author
Takuma Fujii
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