Annals of the South African MuseumAnnale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum . ; retracted polypsoften form small rounded protuberances on the surface of the polyparium,expanded polyps mostly 0,5 mm in length and diameter preserved. Polypswithout conspicuous or permanent calyces but may form hemispherical pro-trusions on the surface of the polyparium when retracted. These protuberancesare capable of retraction into the polyparium. Sclerites from surface of lobes arepredominantly compact eight-radiates (capstans), 0,040-0,065 mm in length,with angular or thorny tubercles. A few sclerites are triradi
Annals of the South African MuseumAnnale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum . ; retracted polypsoften form small rounded protuberances on the surface of the polyparium,expanded polyps mostly 0,5 mm in length and diameter preserved. Polypswithout conspicuous or permanent calyces but may form hemispherical pro-trusions on the surface of the polyparium when retracted. These protuberancesare capable of retraction into the polyparium. Sclerites from surface of lobes arepredominantly compact eight-radiates (capstans), 0,040-0,065 mm in length,with angular or thorny tubercles. A few sclerites are triradiates or modifiedcapstans, approximately 0,035-0,040 mm long. Sclerites of the stalk are alsoprimarily capstans, 0,03-0,05 mm in length, with tubercles markedly angular todeltoid. Colony colour highly variable: white, yellow, pink, orange, orange-red,reddish-brown, deep cherry red or brick red. Some colonies may be white. Colour is permanent due to sclerite pigmentation, restricted tosurface of colony, interior white. SOFT CORALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 293. Fig. 22. Alcyonium valdiviae Kukenthal, 1906. A-C. Lateral views of three entire colonies. A. 38 mm in height. B. 37 mm in height. C. 55 mm in height. D. Coenenchymal sclerites from the polyparium. E. Stalk sclerites. Scale bars = 0,1 mm. 294 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM K&L ^^v xrv-v, « 1 ^ ibpVv \-\ \ < ^ ^ £ Hfe% ¥ * JE2II IB -»PdH HPv ?VL i E 4- G Fig. 23. Scanning electron micrographs of Alcyonium valdiviae Kukenthal, 1906; polypariumsclerites. A. 0,046 mm. B. 0,042 mm. C. 0,04 mm. D. 0,057 mm. E. 0,05 mm. F. 0,045 mm. G. 0,059 mm. Distribution Apparently a southern African endemic; known from the west coast of theCape Peninsula to Boteler Point (northern Natal); 10-100 m in depth(Verseveldt & Williams, 1988; Williams in press a). Type locality is the AgulhasBank, south-east of Cape Agulhas. Remarks This is a highly variable species with regard to coloration. Colonies from thewest coast of the
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsouthafr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1898
