Naturalis Biodiversity Center
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From the introduction of the paper "New and redescribed encrusting species of Alcyonium from the Atlantic Ocean (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Alcyoniidae)".
Four encrusting species of Alcyonium are known from the Atlantic Ocean:
Alcyonium coralloides (Pallas, 1766), Alcyonium grandiflorum (Tixier-Durivault & d'Hondt, 1975), Alcyonium maristenebrosi Stiasny, 1937, and Alcyonium senegalense Verseveldt & Ofwegen, 1992. material collected during CANCAP expeditions (see Van der Land, 1987) was examined. In addition, a specimen collected on the French CENTOB- cruise was also examined.
This material contained specimens of Alcyonium grandiflorum and Alcyonium maristenebrosi.
Three species new to science are also presented, all from depths of 1000 meters or more.
Color: The entire colony is creamy white, the sclerites are colorless.
Etymology - The Latin "profunda", depth or abyss, refers to the depth at which this species was found, deeper than any other species in the genus.
Remarks - Alcyonium profundum is most similar to Alcyonium grandiflorum (Tixier-Durivault & d'Hondt. 1975) and Alcyonium megasclerum spec. nov. but differs from these two species in the absence of mastoid lobes in the sepals and membrane
Four encrusting species of Alcyonium are known from the Atlantic Ocean:
Alcyonium coralloides (Pallas, 1766), Alcyonium grandiflorum (Tixier-Durivault & d'Hondt, 1975), Alcyonium maristenebrosi Stiasny, 1937, and Alcyonium senegalense Verseveldt & Ofwegen, 1992. material collected during CANCAP expeditions (see Van der Land, 1987) was examined. In addition, a specimen collected on the French CENTOB- cruise was also examined.
This material contained specimens of Alcyonium grandiflorum and Alcyonium maristenebrosi.
Three species new to science are also presented, all from depths of 1000 meters or more.
Color: The entire colony is creamy white, the sclerites are colorless.
Etymology - The Latin "profunda", depth or abyss, refers to the depth at which this species was found, deeper than any other species in the genus.
Remarks - Alcyonium profundum is most similar to Alcyonium grandiflorum (Tixier-Durivault & d'Hondt. 1975) and Alcyonium megasclerum spec. nov. but differs from these two species in the absence of mastoid lobes in the sepals and membrane
