[Coral-List] Identity of blue octocoral off NC?? AND the true identity of Antheila edmondsoni

[Phil Alderslade]

Charles and other readers,
 
Just to clear up the Anthelia edmondsoni identity.    As quoted, in 2000 I proposed a split in the Anthelia species.   Some were retained in Anthelia and others with a different sclerite form were placed in a new genus Sansibia.  However, I do not believe Anthelia edmondsoni is either an Anthelia or a Sansibia.  It should resort to its original name of Sarcothelia edmondsoni, and the species appears to be endemic to Hawaii.
 
Cheers,
 
Phil Alderslade

________________________________

From: Charles Delbeek [mailto:delbeek at waquarium.org]
Sent: Wed 2/21/2007 6:55 AM
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Cc: Aquatic Info
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Identity of blue octocoral off NC??



It is unlikely that this is Anthelia edmundsoni since that coral is,
I believe, endemic to Hawaii, and to collect it you would have to
remove the substratum it is attached to, which would be illegal; BTW
Alderslade redescribed this as Sansibia in 2000. It does not resemble
any Sansibia edundsoni that I have in Hawaiian waters. Furthermore,
that coral is zooxanthellate and this one does not appear to be so.

However, without access to actual specimens and/or their sclerites, a
positive ID is not possible. Joe, if Marc can provide samples I can
get it ID'd for him.

Are the polyps fully retractable?

I also believe what is referred to as "blue Xenia" in hobbyist
circles is in fact Cespitularia, or at least it used to be; could be
some other critter now has been adorned with said moniker.

Aloha!
J. Charles Delbeek
Waikiki Aquarium



At 01:41 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:
>Joe:
>I believe this is Blue Octocoral, Anthelia edmondsoni (Verrill, 1928).
>It is endemic to Hawaii but is highly used in the aquarium trade
>(Blue Xenia?).
>Hope this helps in leading Marc in the right direction.
>
>My best to the faculty of my old alumnus!!
>
>Aloha:
>-Charlie Fasano-
>
>
>Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 12:22:13 -0500
>From: "Pawlik, Joseph"
>
>Subject: [Coral-List] Identity of blue octocoral off NC??
>To:
>Message-ID:
>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>
>Coral-listers,
>
>Can anyone help with identifying this light-blue recumbent octocoral
>from the offshore reefs of North Carolina?  The request and photos are
>from Marc Neill with the North Carolina Aquarium at Ft. Fisher.  Here
>are the photos:
>
>http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o93/FishBait_photos/PC272938mod1.jpg
>
>http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o93/FishBait_photos/PC272931mod1.jpg
>
>http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o93/FishBait_photos/PC272930mod1.jpg
>
>
>Thanks for the help!
>
>Joe
>**************************************************************
>Joseph R. Pawlik, Professor
>UNCW Center for Marine Science
>5600 Marvin K Moss Lane
>Wilmington, NC  28409   USA
>pawlikj at uncw.edu; Office:(910)962-2377; Cell:(910)232-3579
>Website: http://people.uncw.edu/pawlikj/index.html
>PDFs: http://people.uncw.edu/pawlikj/pubs2.html
>**************************************************************
>
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>End of Coral-List Digest, Vol 44, Issue 18
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>If I don't live my life right the first time, when will I find the
>time to go back and live it over?
>-Fulghum-
>
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J. Charles Delbeek M.Sc.

Aquarium Biologist III
Waikiki Aquarium,
University of Hawaii
2777 Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI, USA 96815
www.waquarium.org

808-923-9741 ext. 0 VOICE
808-923-1771 FAX