NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
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Muriceides hirta is a deep-sea fan, although the data on its depth distribution varies considerably:
In the review “Octocorallia (Cnidaria) of the Gulf of Mexico” depth data of 53 meters - 592 meters are given.
In the exhibition “Deep-Sea Coral Taxa in the U.S. Southeast Region: Depth and Geographic Distribution (v. 2020)” a depth range of 681 meters - 716 meters is documented.
Both documents can be viewed under “Related links”.
Muriceides hirta is a yellow sea fan with small, conical sepals.
Muriceides hirta can only be distinguished from several similar-looking genera by microscopic examination of the sclerite morphology.
The coral came to the attention of scientists following the accident in April 2010 on the BP oil drilling platform Deepwater Horizon, in which an explosion caused around 800 million tons of crude oil to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Among other things, scientists were able to compare the results of earlier investigations with the condition of the colonies 10 years after the accident.
See the report under the link “Alcyonacean octocorals of the Pinnacle Trend: A photo-identification guide NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 282”.
Synonyms:
Acanthogorgia hirta Pourtalès, 1868 · unaccepted > superseded combination (original combination)
Muriceides hirtus (Pourtalès, 1868) · unaccepted (synonym)
Paramuricea hirta (Pourtalès, 1868) · unaccepted > superseded combination
Trachymuricea hirta (Pourtalès, 1868) · unaccepted > superseded combination
In the review “Octocorallia (Cnidaria) of the Gulf of Mexico” depth data of 53 meters - 592 meters are given.
In the exhibition “Deep-Sea Coral Taxa in the U.S. Southeast Region: Depth and Geographic Distribution (v. 2020)” a depth range of 681 meters - 716 meters is documented.
Both documents can be viewed under “Related links”.
Muriceides hirta is a yellow sea fan with small, conical sepals.
Muriceides hirta can only be distinguished from several similar-looking genera by microscopic examination of the sclerite morphology.
The coral came to the attention of scientists following the accident in April 2010 on the BP oil drilling platform Deepwater Horizon, in which an explosion caused around 800 million tons of crude oil to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Among other things, scientists were able to compare the results of earlier investigations with the condition of the colonies 10 years after the accident.
See the report under the link “Alcyonacean octocorals of the Pinnacle Trend: A photo-identification guide NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 282”.
Synonyms:
Acanthogorgia hirta Pourtalès, 1868 · unaccepted > superseded combination (original combination)
Muriceides hirtus (Pourtalès, 1868) · unaccepted (synonym)
Paramuricea hirta (Pourtalès, 1868) · unaccepted > superseded combination
Trachymuricea hirta (Pourtalès, 1868) · unaccepted > superseded combination
