Diversity and Distribution of Octocorallia

Pérez, Carlos Daniel; Neves, Bárbara de Moura; Cordeiro, Ralf T. S.; Williams, Gary C.; Cairns, Stephen D.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-31305-4_8

Cited by 42 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 106 publications

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“…and almost the double of species of octocorals known to occur in the Mediterranean Sea (54 spp.) (Brito & Ocaña 2004;Pérez et al 2016). Even if compared with the most diverse center of endemism, with a part in the Eastern Atlantic of South Africa, the Azores has 58% of the number of species known to occur in that area (170 spp.).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Census of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of the Azores (NE Atlantic) with a nomenclature update

Sampaio

Freiwald

Mora

et al. 2019

Zootaxa

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Zoological nomenclature revisions are essential for biodiversity studies and indispensable to avoid naming and description of already described species and should be valued in all subsequent studies considering biology, molecular biology, ecology or habitat mapping of deep-sea species. Herein, a thorough revision of the taxonomic literature on Octocorallia since the beginning of deep-sea exploration in the Azores is provided. Since 1870, when the first octocoral, Virgularia mirabilis (Müller, 1776), was recorded in the Azores a cyclic pattern on the taxonomical study of octocorals reveals the deep-sea investigation efforts made on the region at different periods: Prince Albert I of Monaco, Biaçores and recent expeditions. The first decade of this millennium was the peak on taxonomic research of cold-water octocorals in the Azores with 11 publications targeting gorgonians and soft corals (Alcyonacea) and specific sub-orders within it. Ninety-eight names of Octocorallia were found to be given in the economic exclusive zone of the Azores. While 25 names were changed or added to the known Azorean octocoral diversity, 3 species identified in the region and unreported in the reviewed literature, increase the number to 101 species. Twenty-five names were synonymized while three species names were unmasked as errors in need of taxonomical clarification. This is the highest species richness of Octocorallia found in Europe and in any Northern Atlantic archipelago so far, representing ~60% of the most diverse center of endemism of South Africa, with a part in the Eastern Atlantic. Further research on taxonomy may reveal new species to science.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within Octocorallia, distinct proportions of the global specific fauna of octocorals are present in the Azores. Stolonifera of the Azores represent 37% of the global genera and Calcaxonia of the Azores 83% of the known families (Pérez et al 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Census of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of the Azores (NE Atlantic) with a nomenclature update

Sampaio

Freiwald

Mora

et al. 2019

Zootaxa

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“…Soft tissues in present day octocorals are supported by spicules, although a few taxa (e.g., Tubipora Linnaeus, 1758; Heliopora de Blainville, 1830;Epiphaxum Lonsdale, 1850;and Nanipora Miyazaki and Reimer, 2015) develop calcified tubes or spicular frameworks containing polyps that rise above sometimes massively calcified stolon platforms. Heliopora, Epiphaxum, and Nanipora are grouped together within a separate order Helioporacea Bock, 1938, known to occur already in the Cretaceous (Lozouet and Molodtsova, 2008), while Tubipora is placed within the alcyonacean octocorals (Pérez et al, 2016). Remarks.-A detailed comparison between Cambroctoconus and the related genera Tretocyclichne and Lipopora was given by Park et al (2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

A problematic cnidarian (Cambroctoconus; Octocorallia?) from the Cambrian (Series 2–3) of Laurentia

Peel¹

2017

J. Paleontol.

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Abstract.-The problematic calcified cnidarian Cambroctoconus is described from the Henson Gletscher Formation (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4-Series 3, Stage 5) of North Greenland, representing the first record from Laurentia of a genus otherwise recently described from China, Kyrgyzstan, and Korea. Internal molds produced by penetrative phosphatization mirror the pervasive pore system of the calice walls and septa. The pore system is compared to the network of gastrodermal solenia that distributes nutrients between polyps and surrounding stolon tissues in present day octocorals. In conjunction with the octagonal form of the individual coralla and eight-fold symmetry of septa, the pore system promotes assignment of Cambroctoconus to the Octocorallia, a basal clade in cnidarian phylogeny. Octocorals ('soft corals') are diverse in present day seas, but have a poor fossil record despite the general development of distinctive calcareous spicules. New taxa: Order Cambroctoconida new; Cambroctoconus koori new species.

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“…Alcyonacean corals are common in most benthic communities of the world, being especially abundant and diverse in the Indo‐West Pacific realm. Alcyonacean genera show a wide geographic and bathymetric distribution (Devictor & Morton, ; Fabricius & Alderslade, ; McFadden & Hochberg, ; Pérez, De Moura Neves, Cordeiro, Williams, & Cairns, ), and they occur in nearly all kinds of modern marine environments, from nearshore to deep waters. However, they need to grow on hard substrates that can be extensive or discrete if they are in sandy or muddy bottoms (Topçu & Öztürk, ; Verseveldt, ) and are usually also attached to stones or shells in these soft bottoms (Weinberg, ).…”

Section: Palaeobiology and Palaeoecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcyonacea awakens: Palaeobiology and palaeoecology of Palaeozoic octocorals known from their sclerites

et al. 2018

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Most Alcyonacea (subclass Octocorallia) have skeletons made up of small calcareous pieces called sclerites that are difficult to both preserve and recognize, which explains the scarce and irregular fossil record of the group. In this work, we study 56 geological samples bearing Syringoalcyon, a genus constituted by Alcyonacea represented by sclerites encrusting the outer walls and stolons of a syringoporoid coral. These samples come from 18 Silurian to mostly Carboniferous localities in Canada, USA, Mexico, Morocco, Algeria, Spain, Iran, and China. A morphological and numerical study was carried out to determine the main morphological and palaeobiological features of the sclerites and the Alcyonacea itself and to establish a new genus for these sclerites. The study facilitated distinguishing four sclerite morphotypes (spindle, elongate spindle, club, and arrowhead). Live sclerites can be attached through biotic or abiotic linkages to biotic substrate patches by insertion or cementation. Spindle sclerites arranged in vertical fences are the most common model, but other arrangements such as stacking or short horizontal fences have been observed even in a single specimen. The morphotypes, dimensions of the sclerites, substrates, and types of arrangement observed are well known in Recent Alcyonacea. According to the arrangements of the sclerites, the alcyonacean morphology was different depending on the shape and dimensions of the substrate. This Syringoporidae–Alcyonacea association is a good example of ecological engineering, but several data suggest that the relationship between these two corals was closer than hard substrate colonization.

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Diversity and Distribution of Octocorallia

Cited by 42 publications

References 106 publications

Census of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of the Azores (NE Atlantic) with a nomenclature update

Census of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of the Azores (NE Atlantic) with a nomenclature update

A problematic cnidarian (Cambroctoconus; Octocorallia?) from the Cambrian (Series 2–3) of Laurentia

Alcyonacea awakens: Palaeobiology and palaeoecology of Palaeozoic octocorals known from their sclerites

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