CONTENTS
Introduction
The South Atlantic Bight
Methods
Octocoral Morphology
Glossary
Gorgonacean
Bauplan
Key to the Families of Octocorals in the South Atlantic Bight
Key to the Species of
Clavulariidae
Anthothelidae
Plexauridae
Gorgoniidae
Virgulariidae
Notes on the Species
Carijoa
riisei
Scleranthelia
rugosa
Telesto fruticulosa
Telesto nelleae
Telesto sanguinea
Bellonella rubistella
Pseudodrifa nigra
Nidalia occidentalis
Iciligorgia schrammi
Diodogorgia
nodulifera
Titanideum
frauenfeldii
Muricea pendula
Thesea nivea
Bebryce grandis
Bebryce parastellata
Scleracis guadalupensis
Placogorgia sp.
Leptogorgia hebes
Leptogorgia punicea
Leptogorgia
cardinalis
Leptogorgia virgulata
Leptogorgia setacea
Leptogorgia euryale
Ctenocella (Ellisella)
barbadensis
Renilla reniformis
Sclerobelemnon
theseus
Stylatula elegans
Virgularia presbytes
| Guide to the Shallow Water (0-200 m) Octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight. S. T. DeVictor & S. L. Morton, 2007 Bebryce parastellata
Deichmann, 1936 Remarks. Bebryce parastellata may occur in unbranched or widely branched forms. Colonies are white in alcohol and have small (1 mm) cylindrical calyces spaced 2-5 mm apart, generally along one side of the slender (1-2 mm) branch. The outer coenenchyme contains small (0.1 mm) cup-like rosette sclerites with a base, with the concavity of the cup facing away from the axis. Other sclerites are bent rods and stellate plates or crosses with an inflated center, resembling a knob. Atlantic distribution: North Carolina, 46-53 m; Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi), 60-73 m; Bahamas, 256-586 m; Cuba, 40 m -unknown depth; Barbados, 186 m (type) (Deichmann, 1936; NMNH collections).
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Figure 1. Bebryce parastellata preserved specimen (USNM
56422); left) colony branch (scale bar = 1 mm); right) calyx.
Figure
2. Bebryce parastellata sclerites (USNM 56422). Clockwise
from left) lateral and top view of cup-like rosette from outer cortex;
knobbed stellate plate, and curved rod (scale bar = 0.1mm). SEM
images by S. Cairns/NMNH.
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