Chromoplexaura marki

Description. Colonial morphology (Figures 12 - 13): The predominantly proteinaceous central axis has a hollow core. The main stem above the holdfast varies from 50 - 120 mm in length. The ultimate branches measure 10 - 115 mm in length by 2.5 - 4.0 mm wide. The distal extremities are acute to rounded and often slightly swollen compared to the uniform width of the rest of the branches. Polyps (Figures 12 - 13). Most of the polyps are fully retractile and form low rounded to hemispherical protuberances that are distributed on all sides of the branches. Some polyps are partially exserted and are <1.0 mm in width. Autozooid walls with eight longitudinal rows of densely-set, more-or-less en chevron sclerites that give rise to narrow points in the middle of each tentacle. Sclerites (Figures 14 - 17). The coenenchymal sclerites are radiates, robust spindles, and ovoid forms with highly variable tuberculation, 0.06 - 0.24 mm in length (Figures 14, 15, 17 A-E, G-J). Some are robust and subspherical to ellipsoid with numerous and less well-pronounced tubercles. The sclerites of the polyp wall and points are heavily tuberculated spindles and rods, 0.04 mm- 0.09 mm in length (Figures 16; 17 F, K, L, M). Color (Figures 12 - 13). The color of the colonies is similar in life or preserved, the coenenchyme is uniformly- colored orange-red to vivid red, while the exsert polyps are white (Figure 11 E). The coenenchymal sclerites are red-orange, while the polyp wall and points sclerites are colorless. Distribution (Figure 19): Central Oregon to southern California; 9 to at least 90 m depth. Biology and associated species. Several of the colonies in lot 096746, have enlargements on the branches that resemble gall-like growths, which contain epizoic barnacles of the genus Conopea (pers. comm., R. Van Syoc, California Academy of Sciences).