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McFadden, C.S.; van Ofwegen, L.P. (2017). Revisionary systematics of the endemic soft coral fauna (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Alcyoniina) of the Agulhas Bioregion, South Africa. Zootaxa. 4363(4): 451-488.
287682
10.11646/zootaxa.4363.4.1 [view]
McFadden, C.S.; van Ofwegen, L.P.
2017
Revisionary systematics of the endemic soft coral fauna (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Alcyoniina) of the Agulhas Bioregion, South Africa
Zootaxa
4363(4): 451-488
Publication
Available for editors  PDF available [request]
The Agulhas Bioregion of southern South Africa supports a unique octocoral fauna that is entirely endemic to the region. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies indicate that this endemism extends to deeper taxonomic levels than had previously been recognized, and that most of these endemic species belong to genera and families that are also endemic to South Africa. Here we revise the taxonomy of soft corals (subordinal group Alcyoniina) that were previously assigned to the cosmopolitan families Alcyoniidae, Nephtheidae and Nidaliidae, describing three new families endemic to South Africa, along with four new genera and four new species. We reassign the endemic genera Acrophytum, Pieterfaurea and Lampophyton to Acrophytidae n. fam, and describe a new species of Lampophyton, L. spinatum n. sp. The endemic species Protodendron bruuni is reassigned to a new, monotypic genus, Corymbophyton bruuni n. comb., and family, Corymbophytidae n. fam. The endemic genus Leptophyton is placed in a third new family, Leptophytidae n. fam., along with three new genera that are established for species previously assigned to Alcyonium: Circularius wilsoni n. comb., Porphyrophyton distinctum n. comb., and Tenerodus fallax n. comb. In addition, we describe new species of Leptophyton, L. fustis n. sp.; Tenerodus, T. pollex n. gen. n. sp.; and Alcyonium, A. dolium n. sp.; reassign Protodendron verseveldti to Tenerodus verseveldti n. comb.; and reassign the endemic genus Dimorphophyton to family Paralcyoniidae. Although molecular phylogenetic analyses unite Acrophytidae, Corymbophytidae and Leptophytidae within a well-supported monophyletic group, both morphological and molecular distinctions support maintaining them as three separate families. These revisions increase the number of endemic species of shallow-water soft corals known from the Agulhas Bioregion to 40, and the number of endemic genera to 13.
South Africa
Molecular systematics, Molecular biology
Systematics, Taxonomy
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2017-12-19 18:54:58Z
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2018-07-05 06:42:25Z
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2019-04-26 15:24:51Z
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2019-05-03 15:55:59Z
changed
2021-09-19 00:27:57Z
changed

Acrophytidae McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Acrophytum Hickson, 1900 (additional source)
Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 (additional source)
Alcyonium distinctum Williams, 1988 accepted as Porphyrophyton distinctum (Williams, 1988) (new combination reference)
Alcyonium dolium McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Alcyonium fallax Lüttschwager, 1922 accepted as Tenerodus fallax (Lüttschwager, 1922) (new combination reference)
Alcyonium purpureum Hickson, 1904 accepted as Alcyonium fallax Lüttschwager, 1922 accepted as Tenerodus fallax (Lüttschwager, 1922) (basis of record)
Alcyonium Wilsoni J.S. Thomson, 1921 accepted as Circularius wilsoni (J.S. Thomson, 1921) (new combination reference)
Carijoa Müller, 1867 (additional source)
Circularius McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Circularius wilsoni (J.S. Thomson, 1921) (new combination reference)
Corymbophytidae McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Corymbophyton McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Corymbophyton bruuni (Bayer, 1995) (new combination reference)
Dimorphophyton Williams, 2000 (additional source)
Lampophyton spinatum McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Leptophytidae McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Leptophyton van Ofwegen & Schleyer, 1997 (additional source)
Leptophyton benayahui van Ofwegen & Schleyer, 1997 (additional source)
Leptophyton fustis McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Parerythropodium fallax (Lüttschwager, 1922) accepted as Tenerodus fallax (Lüttschwager, 1922) (basis of record)
Parerythropodium Wilsoni (J.S. Thomson, 1921) accepted as Circularius wilsoni (J.S. Thomson, 1921) (basis of record)
Pieterfaurea Verseveldt & Bayer, 1988 (additional source)
Porphyrophyton McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Porphyrophyton distinctum (Williams, 1988) (new combination reference)
Protodendron bruuni Bayer, 1995 accepted as Corymbophyton bruuni (Bayer, 1995) (new combination reference)
Protodendron verseveldti Bayer, 1995 accepted as Tenerodus verseveldti (Bayer, 1995) (new combination reference)
Tenerodus McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Tenerodus fallax (Lüttschwager, 1922) (new combination reference)
Tenerodus pollex McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (original description)
Tenerodus verseveldti (Bayer, 1995) (new combination reference)