A new species of Heterogorgia Verrill, 1868 (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from a mesophotic fishing shoal in the eastern Pacific

 

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Breedy Shadid, Odalisca, Murillo Cruz, Catalina, Cortés Núñez, Jorge
Formato: artículo original
Data de Publicación:2024
Descripción:Heterogorgia abdita sp. nov. is a newly identified mesophotic octocoral species collected at Tigre shoal off Santa Elena Peninsula (Pacific Costa Rica). The new species is described based on distinctive morphological characters that classify it within the genus Heterogorgia. It is characterised by its conspicuous small branching colony with prominent calyces and thin branches. While its scleroma aligns with the genus, the presence of club-like spindles is notable, as these have previously been observed only in the sole Atlantic Heterogorgia species. This study enhances our understanding of the intriguing genus Heterogorgia and contributes to the knowledge of octocoral biodiversity within the Área de Conservación Guanacaste north Pacific Costa Rica and the broader marine biodiversity of the eastern tropical Pacific.
País:Kérwá
Institución:Universidad de Costa Rica
Repositorio:Kérwá
Idioma:Inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:kerwa.ucr.ac.cr:10669/104057
Acceso en liña:https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5501.4.7
https://hdl.handle.net/10669/104057
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5501.4.7
Palabra crave:octocorals
taxonomy
biodiversity
coral reefs
pacific ocean