. Annals of the South African Museum = Annale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum. Natural history. SOUTHERN AFRICA PENNATULACEA 75 a matter of the degree of contraction of the polyps, as some highly contracted polyps show two lobes, whereas partially contracted polyps often exhibit six distinct teeth. He also stated that the length of calyx sclerites varies between 0,528 and 0,800 mm. The calyces of the southern African material show two large teeth only and the sclerites vary from 0,28-0,50 mm in length. Distichoptilum gracile is distinguished from other southern African sea pens by its thin whip
. Annals of the South African Museum = Annale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum. Natural history. SOUTHERN AFRICA PENNATULACEA 75 a matter of the degree of contraction of the polyps, as some highly contracted polyps show two lobes, whereas partially contracted polyps often exhibit six distinct teeth. He also stated that the length of calyx sclerites varies between 0,528 and 0,800 mm. The calyces of the southern African material show two large teeth only and the sclerites vary from 0,28-0,50 mm in length. Distichoptilum gracile is distinguished from other southern African sea pens by its thin whip-like appearance, small polyps retractile into permanent calyces that are appressed close to the surface of the rachis and are arranged biserially in two longitudinal rows. Family Scleroptilidae Jungersen, 1904 Polyps usually situated in pairs or groups of three along rachis, separated by intervals of bare rachis. Axis thin and delicate, extending entire length of colony. Siphonozooids few and scattered on rachis. Calyces absent. Sclerites present or absent. A family of two genera from the North Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. Genus Scleroptilum Kolliker, 1880 Scleroptilum Kolliker, 1880: 30. Balss, 1910: 24. Kukenthal & Broch, 1911: 265. Kiikenthal, 1915: 43. Diagnosis Sclerites (rods or three-flanged spindles) are present in the walls of the autozooids. A genus of at least two or three species from the northern Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. Type species. Scleroptilum grandiflorum Kolliker, 1880; Japan. Scleroptilum sp. Fig. 38 Remarks Five colonies, 35-50 mm in length, have recently been collected from off the Transkei coast at 510 m in depth. These colonies can be assigned to the genus Scleroptilum by the arrangement of the polyps in whorls or clusters of 2-3 (each cluster separated by bare areas of rachis), lack of calyces, and the possession of sclerites in the walls of the polyps. The sclerites differ from those of Scleroptilum grandiflorum Kolliker, 1880, and the material ha
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