Annals of the South African MuseumAnnale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum . gate coarsely-tuberculate spindles, clubs and leaf-clubs, 0,12-1,2 mm long. Colour variable,brown to dark brown, light grey to smoke-grey, white to salmon to pinkish, orcream to yellowish. Distribution Apparently endemic to South Africa, west coast of the Cape of Good HopePeninsula to the Durban region of Natal, 10-240 m in depth (Williams in pressa). This species is one of the commonest octocorals in southern Africa, oftenseen by divers on vertical rock walls and reefs. It is probable that thedistribution of this specie
Annals of the South African MuseumAnnale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum . gate coarsely-tuberculate spindles, clubs and leaf-clubs, 0,12-1,2 mm long. Colour variable,brown to dark brown, light grey to smoke-grey, white to salmon to pinkish, orcream to yellowish. Distribution Apparently endemic to South Africa, west coast of the Cape of Good HopePeninsula to the Durban region of Natal, 10-240 m in depth (Williams in pressa). This species is one of the commonest octocorals in southern Africa, oftenseen by divers on vertical rock walls and reefs. It is probable that thedistribution of this species extends into northern Natal (England & Robson1984: 315). Type locality South Africa, detailed locality unspecified. Remarks The appearance of colonies of C. thyrsoidea differs remarkably dependingon degree of contraction or expansion. Underwater observation of the speciesoff the west coast of the Cape Peninsula (12-20 m depth) during daylight hoursin turbid water, has revealed that in feeding posture the colonies are greatly 334 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM. Fig. 41. Capnella thyrsoidea (Verrill, 1865). A. Entire colony, partially contracted, 135 mm in length. B. Detail from a group of five polyps; total length of figure 2,5 mm. C. Entire colony, tightly contracted, 105 mm in length. D. Sclerites from polyp wall. Scale bar = 0,3 mm. E. Stalk sclerites. Scale bar = 0,1 mm. SOFT CORALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 335 expanded and elongated, reaching up to 300 mm in length and 200 mm in width,very limp and flexible. The colonies have all branches elongated and exposedwith the ultimate branches containing polyp clusters forming protuber-ances along the surface of the branches. During severe contraction, as indaylight hours in clear water or during preservation, the colonies are tightlycompacted, stiff and rigid, resembling stalks of cauliflower, usually not morethan 80 mm in total length. A recently described and unusual species of ptychodactiarian anemone,Preactis miliardae England
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsouthafr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1898
