Remarks. Carijoa riisei was generally accepted as a new combination after Bayer (1961) indicated that Telesto riisei be assigned to Carijoa based on the morphology of its body wall sclerites. No formal work has been published at the time of this writing establishing this combination, but all publications referring to this species in the last few decades have used the new combination. This species is considered a fouling organism and colonies can become very bushy and large. The colonies are densely branching and white or pale when preserved. The body walls have eight longitudinal grooves as is consistent with the family. Specimens of C. riisei are distinguished easily from other SAB clavulariids by the sclerites, which are branching, thorny rods and spindles, as opposed to granular bodies of T. sanguinea, T. fruticulosa and T. nelleae. There is some weak fusion of thorny rods. The polyps bear sparse spiculation in the form of small rods, which are located in the polyp bases and basal septa.

Atlantic distribution: South Carolina to Brazil, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean; low tide line to 104 m (NMNH records indicate a specimens collected from 309 m off Havana, Cuba, and from 732 m off the Florida Keys; Deichmann (1936) noted a colony from St. Lucia collected from 508 m). (Deichmann, 1936; Bayer, 1961; NMNH collections; SERTC collection).

Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources