Hernández O et al. (2021), Three new species of the sea fan genus Leptogor...

ECB-ART-49305

Zookeys 2021 Feb 12;1017:1-20. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1017.50619.

Show Gene links Show Anatomy links

Three new species of the sea fan genus Leptogorgia (Octocorallia, Gorgoniidae) from the Gulf of California, Mexico.

Hernández O , Gómez-Gutiérrez J , Sánchez C .

Abstract
Three new sea fan species of Leptogorgia were discovered during multiple scuba diving expeditions along the Gulf of California coast and islands. Leptogorgia iridis sp. nov. is distributed in the southern region of the gulf (Mexican Province), inhabiting tropical rocky reefs of the Islas Marías Archipelago (Nayarit) and Bahía Banderas (Jalisco). This species has small colonies (< 7 cm height) with at least five clearly distinct chromotypes. Leptogorgia martirensis sp. nov. was found exclusively on the rocky reefs of San Pedro Mártir and San Esteban Islands located in the northern region of the Gulf of California (northern region of Cortez Province). Leptogorgia enrici sp. nov. is distributed from the south to the northern region of the Gulf of California (Cortez Province), inhabiting substrates of rocky reefs, sandy and pebbly sea floors. Comprehensive ecological diving expeditions to identify and classify octocorals in the Mexican Pacific (1995-2019) indicate that L. iridis sp. nov. and L. martirensis sp. nov. are likely to be micro-endemics and L. enrici sp. nov. is endemic to the Gulf of California, which defines their currently known biogeographic distribution ranges.

PubMed ID: 33633480
PMC ID: PMC7895808
Article link: Zookeys

Article Images: [+] show captions

References [+] :

Breedy, Two new species of gorgonian octocorals from the Tropical Eastern Pacific Biogeographic Region (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Gorgoniidae). 2013, Pubmed

	Figure l. Map of the Gulf of California and Mexican Pacific showing collection localities of the three new species of Leptogorgia.
	Figure 2. Leptogorgia iridis sp. nov. A holotype NMNH-1638551 B holotype anthocodial and coenenchymal sclerites C paratype NMNH-1638553, two colonies with different color connected with a single holdfast D paratype NMNH-1638554, monochromatic white chromotype.
	Figure 3. Leptogorgia iridis sp. nov., Scanning Electron Microscopy images of coenenchymal sclerites from the holotype NMNH-1638551 A capstans B spindle C anthocodial rod sclerites.
	Figure 4. Leptogorgia martirensis sp. nov. A holotype NMNH-1638556 B anthocodial and coenenchymal sclerites.
	Figure 5. Leptogorgia martirensis sp. nov., Scanning Electron Microscopy images of coenenchymal sclerites from the holotype NMNH-1638556 A capstans B rod lateral view C anthocodial rod sclerites.
	Figure 6. Leptogorgia enrici sp. nov. A holotype NMNH-1638560 B close up of terminal twig C orange chromotype colony D anthocodial and coenenchymal sclerites.
	Figure 7. Leptogorgia enrici sp. nov., Scanning Electron Microscopy images of coenenchymal sclerites from the holotype NMNH-1638560 A acute spindles B dull spindles C capstans.
	Figure 8. Three new species of sea fans, colonies in situ, underwater images ALeptogorgia iridis sp. nov., San Juanito Island, Piedra El Morro, Islas Marías Archipelago, 10 m depth, 23 November 2010, a deep purple colony, at the base a small red wine colony of Leptogorgia enaBLeptogorgia iridis sp. nov., polyps close up CLeptogorgia martirensis sp. nov., Cueva Refugio, San Pedro Mártir Island, Sonora, 2–3 m depth, 16 July 2010 into the cave several small colonies DLeptogorgia martirensis sp. nov., colony close up ELeptogorgia enrici sp. nov., Los Choros, BC, 25 m depth, 10 July 2009, two yellow colonies, a large colony of Eugorgia multifida in the background FLeptogorgia enrici sp. nov., El Bajo Sur, Cerralvo Island, BCS, 30 m depth, 23 June 2006, white colony GLeptogorgia enrici sp. nov., polyps close up. Photographs by Carlos Sánchez.