Epizoanthus beriber

Diagnosis. Morphology. Polyps connected by moderately developed coenenchyme on eunicid worm tubes belonging to the genus Eunice, as are Epizoanthus illoricatus and Epizoanthus inazuma sp. n. Polyps are either circular cones or cylindrical, and approximately 0.5 to 2.1 mm high from coenenchyme (= length) and 1.1 to 2.1 mm diameter (in 5 - 10 % seawater formalin). Maximum diameter of polyps is approximately 3 mm, maximum height approximately 5 mm in situ. Polyps have 20 - 22 tentacles that are longer than oral disk diameter. In addition, polyp external color is white while oral disk is light brown to brown. Internal anatomy. Mesogleal thickness approximately 80 µm. We could not obtain cross-sections or images to observe mesentery arrangement due to heavy sand encrustation. Cnidae. Holotrichs, basitrichs, microbasic p-mastigophores, spirocysts (see Table 1, Figure 3).

Etymology. Epizoanthus beriber sp. n. is named after the legendary Beriber of Palauan folklore, who lived in a cave at Oikuul in Airai State, as this species has been found only in caves. Common Japanese name. ' Ziguzagu-yadori-sunaginchaku' (new Japanese name).

Material examined. Holotype. NSMT-Co 1575 (MISE-HK 129), 7 ° 5 ' 01.0 " N, 134 ° 15 ' 80.0 " E, Turtle Cove, Palau, depth 20 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, May 6, 2015, divided in two pieces, one portion fixed in 99.5 % EtOH and the other in 5 - 10 % saltwater formalin, deposited in National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan. Paratype 1. RMNH 42101 (MISE-HK 126), 7 ° 8 ' 29.4 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 23.3 " E, Blue Hole, Palau, depth 36 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, May 5, 2015, divided in two pieces, one portion fixed in 99.5 % EtOH and other in 5 - 10 % saltwater formalin, deposited in Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. Paratype 2. USNM 1296758, USNM 1296759 (MISE-HK 113), 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth 30 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, divided in two pieces, one portion fixed in 99.5 % EtOH and other in 5 - 10 % saltwater formalin, deposited in Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C., USA. Other material. MISE-HK 112, 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth 37 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, divided in two pieces and fixed in 99.5 % EtOH and 5 - 10 % saltwater formalin, respectively; MISE-HK 116, 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth unknown, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, divided in two pieces and fixed in 99.5 % EtOH and 5 - 10 % saltwater formalin, respectively; MISE-HK 117, 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth unknown, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, fixed in 99.5 % EtOH; MISE-HK 118, 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth unknown, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, fixed in 99.5 % EtOH; MISE-HK 119, 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth 19 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, fixed in 99.5 %; MISE-HK 120, 7 ° 18 ' 54.8 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 13.3 " E, Siaes Tunnel, Palau, depth unknown, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 28, 2015, fixed in 99.5 % EtOH; MISE-HK 124, 8 ° 19 ' 00.0 " N, 134 ° 63 ' 00.0 " E, Negruangel, Palau, depth 27 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, April 29, 2015, fixed in 99.5 % EtOH; MISE-HK 125, 7 ° 8 ' 29.4 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 23.3 " E, Blue Hole, Palau, depth 32 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, May 5, 2015, divided in two pieces and fixed in 99.5 % EtOH and 5 - 10 % saltwater formalin, respectively; MISE-HK 127 7 ° 8 ' 29.4 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 23.3 " E, Blue Hole, Palau, depth 36 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, May 5, 2015, fixed in 99.5 % EtOH; HK 128 7 ° 8 ' 12.3 " N, 134 ° 13 ' 16.5 " E, Blue Corner, Palau, depth 29 m, collected by Hiroki Kise, May 5, 2015, fixed in 99.5 % EtOH.