ZooKeys
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The deep-sea gorgonian Chrysogorgia carolinensis is known only from Caroline Ridge, north of New Guinea in the western Pacific.
The locality was a deep-sea mountain, the provisional name of which is M8) on the Caroline Ridge.
Etymology
Named after the type locality, Caroline Ridge, where the species was discovered.
Distribution and habitat
The colony adheres to a rocky substrate and develops a bottlebrush-shaped body form.
The stems of the gorgonian are golden in color with a metallic sheen, their diameter at the base is about 1 mm.
The branches are dichotomously jointed up to 6 cm long.
Polyps are present only at the end of the terminal branches, the polyps are large, pitcher-shaped, some of them are contracted and narrow at the base of the tentacles, averaging 5 mm long
Similar species:
Chrysogorgia midas Cairns, 2018 and Chrysogorgia abludo Pante & Watling, 2012 are similar to Chrysogorgia carolinensis.
However, the new species is clearly distinguished from these species by the presence of amoeboid scales that branch in all directions on the basal polyp body (as opposed to being absent in both other species).
However, the new species is easily distinguished by the bottle-bush-shaped colony (as opposed to tree-shaped), the absence of polyps on the internodes, and the larger polyps up to 8 mm in length.
The locality was a deep-sea mountain, the provisional name of which is M8) on the Caroline Ridge.
Etymology
Named after the type locality, Caroline Ridge, where the species was discovered.
Distribution and habitat
The colony adheres to a rocky substrate and develops a bottlebrush-shaped body form.
The stems of the gorgonian are golden in color with a metallic sheen, their diameter at the base is about 1 mm.
The branches are dichotomously jointed up to 6 cm long.
Polyps are present only at the end of the terminal branches, the polyps are large, pitcher-shaped, some of them are contracted and narrow at the base of the tentacles, averaging 5 mm long
Similar species:
Chrysogorgia midas Cairns, 2018 and Chrysogorgia abludo Pante & Watling, 2012 are similar to Chrysogorgia carolinensis.
However, the new species is clearly distinguished from these species by the presence of amoeboid scales that branch in all directions on the basal polyp body (as opposed to being absent in both other species).
However, the new species is easily distinguished by the bottle-bush-shaped colony (as opposed to tree-shaped), the absence of polyps on the internodes, and the larger polyps up to 8 mm in length.
