species: Unidentified paramuriceid sp. 1 in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Unidentified paramuriceid sp. 1


©Anne Hoggett: Unidentified paramuriceid sp. 1 at North Point, Lizard Island, 29 Dec 2019.

©Anne Hoggett: Unidentified paramuriceid sp. 1 at North Point, Lizard Island, 29 Dec 2019.

©Anne Hoggett: Unidentified paramuriceid sp. 1 at North Point, Lizard Island, 29 Dec 2019.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Malacalcyonacea
Family Paramuriceidae
Species Unidentified paramuriceid sp. 1

Colours

                                  

Distinguishing features

Photos taken 29 Dec 2019 were identified by Dr Phil Alderslade through iNaturalist, who said (1 Jan 2020): "Unfortunately the focus is not quite sharp enough to see the detail needed. I can say without doubt it's not a Euplexaura. For a start it has definite calyces. I think it is part of a confused group that I and others have been investigating that includes taxa from such genera as Pseudothesea, Paracis, and the Pacific versions of Paramuricea and Placogorgia, I can see enough to say it has sclerites in the calyces, up to 4-5 series it seems, that have a distal flat point or blade. But I can't quite determine the form of the sclerites on the branch surface. I could hazard a guess and say Placogorgia, for example, but it could end up being research grade, which would not be of much benefit. So best left at Family level I think." At that time, the family was Plexauridae. Following McFadden et al (2022), the family is now Paramuriceidae.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Distribution

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • McFadden, C.S., L.P. van Ofwegen and A.M. Quattrini (2022). Revisionary systematics of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) guided by phylogenomics. Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists, https://doi.org/10.18061/bssb.v1i3.8735. LIRS catalog number 90430.