Melithaeidae of Japan (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) re-examined with descriptions of 11 new species

Collection: Pensoft Publishers

Keywords: Melithaea · Topics: Marine Biology and Ecology Research, Isotope Analysis in Ecology, Parasite Biology and Host Interactions

Japanese melithaeid type material is re-examined and re-described. The sclerites of the different species are depicted using Scanning Electron Microscopy. All Japanese species of the family Melithaeidae treated here belong to the genus Melithaea and are endemic to Japanese waters. Old museum material and newly collected specimens from Japanese waters are identified after comparison with this type material. Acabaria modesta var. abyssicola is regarded a separate species, here named Melithaea abyssicola (Kükenthal, 1909). In addition, 11 new species are described: M. boninensis sp. n., M. doederleini sp. n., M. isonoi sp. n., M. keramaensis sp. n., M. oyeni sp. n., M. ryukyukensis sp. n., M. sagamiensis sp. n., M. satsumaensis sp. n., M. suensoni sp. n., M. tanseii sp. n., and M. tokaraensis sp. n.. Pleurocorallium confusum Moroff, 1902, Pleurocoralloides formosum Moroff, 1902, Melitodes flabellifera Kükenthal, 1908, and Melitodes densa Kükenthal, 1908 are synonymized with Melithaea japonica (Verrill, 1865). We have designated a neotype for Melithaea mutsu Minobe, 1929. A key to the Japanese melithaeids is presented.

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