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Morphological and molecular characterization of a new genus and new species of parazoanthid (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) associated with Japanese Red Coral

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Abstract

The Order Zoantharia has long been taxonomically neglected primarily due to difficulty in examining the internal morphology of sand-encrusted zoanthids. However, recent work using molecular markers has shown an unexpectedly high diversity of previously “hidden” taxa (families and genera) within Zoantharia (=Zoanthidea, Zoanthiniaria). In this study, unidentified sediment-encrusting zoanthid specimens (n = 8) were collected from living Japanese Red Coral Paracorallium japonicum (Family Coralliidae) during precious coral harvesting by Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and manned submersible (February 2004–January 2006) at depths of 194–250 m at six locations between Ishigaki-jima Island and Kikai-jima Island, southern Japan. DNA sequences (mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA [mt 16S rDNA], cytochrome oxidase subunit I [COI], nuclear internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA [ITS-rDNA]) unambiguously place these specimens in a previously undescribed, new monophyletic lineage within the family Parazoanthidae. Corallizoanthus tsukaharai, gen. n. et sp. n. is the first reported zoanthid species associated with the family Coralliidae and unlike other described gorgonian-associated zoanthids (Savalia spp.) does not secrete its own hard axis. Morphologically, C. tsukaharai sp. n. is characterized by generally unitary polyps and bright yellow external coloration.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the crew and technicians of the ROV Hakuyo 2000 (chief operator M. Arai) and the manned submersible Hakuyo (captain M. Kikunaga), which performed precious coral harvesting and were operated by SNK Ocean Co., Ltd (Tokyo, Japan) with observation by OCA (Motobu, Japan). The authors are also grateful to Dr. K. Takishita, Dr. H. Kuwahara and M. Kawato (JAMSTEC, Yokusuka, Japan) (genetic analyses), Dr. S. Ono (Higashi Miyakonojo High School, Mimata, Japan), and Dr. J. Tsukahara (Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan) (morphology) for their expert advice. Dr. H. Uchida (Kushimoto Marine Center, Kushimoto, Japan) kindly informed us of the potential for Corallizoanthus samples at other locations. Thanks to T. Laperrousaz from South Australian Museum for providing samples. Special thanks are due to Dr. S. Uchida (director of OCA) for his management of this research. JDR was supported in part by a grant from the Fujiwara Natural History Foundation, the 21st Century Center of Excellence Program (COE) at the University of the Ryokyus, and the Biological Institute on Kuroshio (Otsuki, Japan). The manuscript was greatly improved by the constructive comments from two anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    J. D. Reimer & F. Sinniger

  2. Research Program for Marine Biology and Ecology, Extremobiosphere Research Center, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan

    J. D. Reimer

  3. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, 424 Ishikawa, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0206, Japan

    M. Nonaka

  4. Biological Institute on Kuroshio, 560 Nishidomari, Otsuki, Kochi, 788-0333, Japan

    F. Iwase

Authors
  1. J. D. Reimer
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  2. M. Nonaka
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  3. F. Sinniger
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  4. F. Iwase
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Correspondence to J. D. Reimer.

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Communicated by Biology Editor Dr Ruth Gates

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Reimer, J.D., Nonaka, M., Sinniger, F. et al. Morphological and molecular characterization of a new genus and new species of parazoanthid (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) associated with Japanese Red Coral. Coral Reefs 27, 935–949 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-008-0389-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-008-0389-0

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