Cupressopathes abies

Description. Usually a monopodial colony with a bottlebrush shape, measuring up to 70 cm high (Fig. 28, a, b); however, some colonies have up to five main branches, each one having a regular width of about 10 cm considering the axis and the pinnules (Fig. 28, b). Each stem bears primary pinnules which are arranged pluriserially in about four rows that measure up to 5 cm in length (Fig. 28, c). Between five and seven primary pinnules are found along one cm, counting those on all sides of the branch (Fig. 28, c). Primary pinnules are inserted at nearly 90 ° on the stem and branches, then they extend horizontally and are naturally curved downward. Up to six orders of subpinnules are found on the primary ones (Fig. 28, c, d). These subpinnules are always on the same side of the primary pinnules, most of the time they are biserial and distally inclined but uniserial ones can also be found (Fig. 28, d). Subpinnules always grow upwards. Secondary pinnules measure up to 3 cm while tertiaries measure up to 2.5 cm. Higher orders of subpinnules are irregular and rarely measure more than 2.5 cm. The polyps are monoserial and are arranged on the same side of the ramification. Their colors are white or brown (Fig. 28, a, b). Sometimes two rows of polyps can be seen, especially on thicker lateral branches. On the stem and thick branches, the polyps can be distributed all around the axis. Polyps measure 0.3 – 0.9 mm in transverse diameter. Their mutual distance goes from zero when they sit next to each other to 0.6 mm. There are 12 polyps per cm on the pinnules and subpinnules. The morphology of the spines on the pinnules and subpinnules follow gradual changes with the diameter of the ramification, from sub-conical to acicular, sharp needle-like, as in other myriopathids (Fig. 28, e – l). Their surface is slightly papillose on two-thirds of their height with papillae elongated towards the tip of the spine. They are inclined upwards, and this is more distinct on the abpolypar spines (Fig. 28, e – g). On thicker branches the inclination is not regular (Fig. 28, h). On a subpinnule 0.11 mm in diameter, the spines are arranged in five longitudinal rows as seen from one aspect. The polypar spines measure 0.07 – 0.1 mm with a mutual distance of 0.16 – 0.24 mm and the abpolypar spines 0.06 – 0.09 mm with a mutual distance of 0.1 – 0.22 mm. On subpinnules of 0.35 mm, eight longitudinal rows can be seen. Both polypar and abpolypar spines reach 0.13 mm, with mutual distances of 0.11 – 0.21 mm and 0.11 – 0.24 mm, respectively. On a primary pinnule of 0.65 mm in diameter, the longitudinal arrangement is lost, and the spines are not consistently inclined upwards anymore but project out in various directions. Polypar spines measure 0.9 – 0.17 mm and abpolypar spines 0.15 mm. On the main distal branch measuring 1 mm in diameter, the arrangement and inclination is irregular in the same way as on the primary pinnules. The spines measure up to 0.24 mm in height, they are tall and more densely arranged, sometimes bifid either from the base or only at the top (Fig. 28, l). Taxonomic remarks. This species was previously described in the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The present diagnosis closely matches the description of the neotype made by Opresko (2001) from the Philippines and collected at 40 m depth.

Fig. 28

Distribution. Philippines (neotype locality, Opresko 2001), Sri Lanka (Thomson & Simpson 1905), Seychelles (Cooper 1903), Mozambique (Summers 1910), Indonesia (van Pesch 1914), Madagascar (present study).

Material examined. Distal fragments from two colonies, Toliara 25 m specimens INV. 131367 and INV. 131357. Depth range. 15 – 52 m.