A Checklist of the Ahermatypic Scleractinia of the Gulf of Mexico, with the Description of a New Species

A brief chronology of discovery of the 54 ahermatypic Scleractinia known from the Gulf of Mexico is presented. Of this total, 6 are new records for the Gulf. A checklist is provided for all species indicating their Gulf distribution and their overall bathymetric range. One new species of Pourtalosmilia is described, which represents a new record for this genus in the western Atlantic

A Checklist of the Ahermatypic Scleractinia of the Gulf of Mexico, with the Description of a New Species

A brief chronology of discovery of the 54 ahermatypic Scleractinia known from the Gulf of Mexico is presented. Of this total, 6 are new records for the Gulf. A checklist is provided for all species indicating their Gulf distribution and their overall bathymetric range. One new species of Pourtalosmilia is described, which represents a new record for this genus in the western Atlantic

An illustrated key to the species of the genus Narella (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Primnoidae)

A history of the description of the 50 valid species of Narella is given, beginning with the first species described in 1860. To help differentiate the various species, a tabular and a polychotomous key are provided. The species in the keys are arranged using nine characters or character sets that are believed to be of value at the species level. New characters or new significance given to previously described characters used in our keys include: 1) the nature of the dorsolateral edge of the basal scale, being ridged or not, 2) the thickness of the body wall scales, and 3) the arrangement of the coenenchymal scales (imbricate or mosaic), their thickness (thin or massive), and their outer surface ornamentation (ridged or not). All characters used in the keys are illustrated

New Species of Black Coral (Cnidaria: Antipatharia) from the Northern Gulf of Mexico

A new species of black coral, Antlpathes expansa (Cnldarla: Antlpatharla) from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico Is described. The species Is distinguished from other westem Atlantic flabellate species by having large, conical, tuberculate spines. A. expansa resembles the lndo-Paclflc species Antlpathes cancellata (Brook) but differs In having a non-retlculate corallum and slightly larger polyps

Stony corals. I. Caryophylliina and Dendrophylliina (Anthozoa: Scleractinia)

Document has 27 pages

New Records of Deep-Water Cnidaria (Scleractinia & Antipatharia) from the Gulf of Mexico

Slxty·three species of azooxanthellate scleractinians and 26 species of antipatharians are recorded from the Gulf of Mexico. This report constitutes the first Inventory of Antipatharia within the geographic boundaries of the Gulf of Mexico whose southern limits are the Yucatan Straits to the south and the Florida Straits to the east. Thirteen range extensions of azooxanthellate species of the Order Scleractinia, and 28 species of the Order Antipatharia are reported. With respect to new records, we report four new records of azooxanthelate scleractinians and six new records of antipatharians from the outer continental shelf. One of the species, Slbopathes macrosplna Opresko, 1993, represents a new species In the western Atlantic region and appears related to Sibopathes gephura Van Pesch, 1914. The Gulf scleractinian fauna constitutes 54% of those known from the western Atlantic; the antipatharian fauna constitutes 93% of the western Atlantic fauna. These two groups are most diverse (55-56 species) in the regions of the Gulf adjacent to the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean (subdivisions I and VI). Diversity gradually decreases towards the western Gulf. Only six species are known from subdivision IV (east Mexico shelf and slope) and 23 species are recorded from subdivision V (Campeche Bank, Mexico)

A new rhizangiid genus from the Miocene of North America (Sclerangia n. gen.; Florida, USA)

The colonial rhizangiid genus Sclerangia n. gen. is described from the Miocene of the USA (Chipola Formation, Florida). The new genus is characterized by plocoid to subcerioid polyp integration, cylindrical to subcylindrical or tympanoid corallites, and an endotheca that is generally absent or made of a very small number of vesicular dissepiments. Compared to other rhizangiid genera, the new taxon is characterized by rather weakly dentate septa. In addition, the new genus differs from all the rhizangiid genera by its consistent encrustation of dead gastropod shells that are inhabited by sipunculid worms

The ancient evolutionary origins of Scleractinia revealed by azooxanthellate corals

Background: Scleractinian corals are currently a focus of major interest because of their ecological importance and the uncertain fate of coral reefs in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressure. Despite this, remarkably little is known about the evolutionary origins of corals. The Scleractinia suddenly appear in the fossil record about 240 Ma, but the range of morphological variation seen in these Middle Triassic fossils is comparable to that of modern scleractinians, implying much earlier origins that have so far remained elusive. A significant weakness in reconstruction(s) of early coral evolution is that deep-sea corals have been poorly represented in molecular phylogenetic analyses

*Galatheanthemum profundale* (Anthozoa: Actiniaria) in the western Atlantic

Asterisks (*...*) surround words or phrases that are to be italicized.*Galatheanthemum profundale* Carlgren, 1956, is one of two known species of tube-forming sea anemones from abyssal-hadal depths. It was described from the trenches of the western Pacific Ocean, and has been reported from many trenches in the Pacific and at abyssal depths of Antarctica. Here we extend its range to the Atlantic Ocean, based on specimens collected in the Puerto Rico Trench and Virgin Islands Trough. In light of our research, it is likely that previous reports of *Galatheanthemum* sp. from the Atlantic Ocean refer to this species