Prof. Dr. Les Watling, Hawaii
Info
Iridogorgia pourtalesii is a very common deep-sea coral that looks like the body shape of a common household bottlebrush :-)
The deep-sea gorgonian forms a monopodial, spirally ascending main axis with undivided branches extending from one side of the axis.
The polyps of the gorgonian are short, with a base at maturity, along the upper side of the branching.
Sclerite rods, spindles or scales are arranged vertically, running in tracks on tentacles.
The coenenchyma with sclerites runs along the branch or without sclerites between the polyps.
Distribution
This species was initially known only from two specimens collected by the 'Blake' in the West Indies and one specimen collected by the US Coast Survey Steamer 'Bibb' in the Straits of Florida (558 m), differs from all other species in the genus by the absence of sclerites along the branches between the polyps and the relatively long sclerites in the polyp body wall.
However, this species needs to be recollected in order for a complete redescription to be made.
Deep-sea corals are discovered and collected by named or unnamed submersibles, or snatched and landed by trawls.
The species name “pourtalesii” is named after the Swiss-born American marine biologist Louis François de Pourtalès.
The deep-sea gorgonian forms a monopodial, spirally ascending main axis with undivided branches extending from one side of the axis.
The polyps of the gorgonian are short, with a base at maturity, along the upper side of the branching.
Sclerite rods, spindles or scales are arranged vertically, running in tracks on tentacles.
The coenenchyma with sclerites runs along the branch or without sclerites between the polyps.
Distribution
This species was initially known only from two specimens collected by the 'Blake' in the West Indies and one specimen collected by the US Coast Survey Steamer 'Bibb' in the Straits of Florida (558 m), differs from all other species in the genus by the absence of sclerites along the branches between the polyps and the relatively long sclerites in the polyp body wall.
However, this species needs to be recollected in order for a complete redescription to be made.
Deep-sea corals are discovered and collected by named or unnamed submersibles, or snatched and landed by trawls.
The species name “pourtalesii” is named after the Swiss-born American marine biologist Louis François de Pourtalès.
