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The Extant Scleractinian Corals of New Zealand

Suborder Faviidae Vaughan and Wells, 1943

Suborder Faviidae Vaughan and Wells, 1943

Family Rhizangiidae d'Orbigny, 1851

Genus Culicia Dana, 1846

There is considerable confusion in the identity of the many described species of this genus, and many authors have called for a revision. Wells (1954) suggested a synonymy of the two species of the genus discussed here: C. smithii and C. rubeola. They are, however, treated as separate "species," because, with only small amounts of material available, the distinctions between them seem clear. It is interesting that specimens of these relatively shallow water corals are remarkably few, one (C. smithii) being represented by a single specimen.

Culicia rubeola (Quoy and Gaimard), 1833, Plate 1, figures 1-5. Map symbol +
1833. Dendrophyllia rubeola Quoy and Gaimard, p. 197, Pl. 15, figs. 12-15.
1879. ? Cylicia huttoni Tenison-Woods, p. 132, Pl. 12, fig. 1.
page 5

Culicia rubeola has a typical rhizangiid corallum composed of twisted cylindrical corallites which form a rather irregular mass often found growing about some other object. The corallites are 3.5 to 4.5 mm in diameter and are cylindrical for the last 5 mm before which point they may taper slightly. More than 24 septa are present, arranged in three complete cycles, with portions of the fourth cycle often present. Septa of the first two cycles are not entire but are deeply notched near the rim of the calice. When the calice is deep, the dentations on the upper margin of the septa may merge imperceptibly with the columella.

As illustrated by Quoy and Gaimard, the species has polyps of a delicate shade of pink.

There is, in the collections of the Otago Museum, a specimen (here shown in Plate 1, figure 5) which is reputed to be the type specimen of this species. Although the authenticity of this claim cannot be established (most of the Astrolabe collection is housed in Paris), the specimen is not unlike that illustrated by Quoy and Gaimard.

Occurrence: Hauraki Gulf. Littoral. Group of specimens attached to a block of sandstone, taken alive: Kaitai Beach, Gisborne. Beach specimen, worn and dead: Off Little Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf. Dredged specimen, taken alive: Long Bay, Auckland. Taken alive from under stones at low tide: Narrow Neck Reef, Auckland. Shallow water, taken alive (Dominion Museum, Coral Collection.)

South Taranaki Bight. Dredged specimen, taken dead and worn. (Geological Survey, Coral Collection.)

Milford Reef, Auckland. One specimen taken alive from shallow water. (Auckland Museum, Coral Collection.)

Distribution: Central and Southwestern Pacific, in littoral zone.

Culicia smithii (Milne-Edwards and Haime), 1850. Pl. 1, fig. 6.

1850. Angia smithii Milne-Edwards and Haime, p. 177.

The corallum is a flat, encrusting mass with the corallites so closely adpressed that they are polygonal. The diameters of the calices are large, up to 7 mm. Septa are present in numbers greater than 24, the fourth cycle incomplete in most calices. Septa of the first two cycles are long and meet the columella, where they merge with the papillae of the columella. All septa are dentate on their lower portions, near the floor of the shallow calice, with the exception of those of the first cycle, which are lobulate but are not notched near the wall of the calice. Septa of the second cycle are longer and more dentate than those of the third cycle. Fourth cycle septa, where present, are very short and quite spinose.

In his review of the species of the genus Culicia, Wells (1954) stated that in C. smithii septa of the first two cycles are lobulate and equal in size. In the specimen we have examined, only the septa of the first cycle are truly lobulate. The absence of a notch in the septa adjacent to the calicular rim is a distinctive character, setting the specimen apart from those of C. rubeola.

The only specimen available to us is one from the Otago Museum which is reputed to be the type specimen. Unfortunately, the type was not illustrated, so no comparison can be made. The locality given in the original description is simply "New Zealand."

Occurrence: New Zealand.

Distribution: New Zealand.

Family Oculinidae Gray, 1847

Genus Oculina Lamarck, 1816

Oculina virgosa Squires, 1958. Plate 1, figure 7. Map symbol ×

1958. Oculina virgosa Squires, p. 39, Pl. 5, figs. 8-16, text-fig. 11.
page 6

A diffusely branching coral with branches of varying diameter, ranging from a few millemeters near the tips to many centimeters near the base. Corallites are slightly protuberent and are ringed by costae corresponding in position to the septa. The surface of the coral between branches is delicately granular, the granules arranged in loose spirals about the branch. The corallites are circular, two to four millimeters in diameter and have a variable number of septa, usually 28. The septa are short and reach less than one quarter the distance to the centre of the corallite. The centre of the calice is filled by short papilli formed of seven pali and columellar rods.

The genus Oculina is generally considered to be Atlantic in distribution although several fossil species are recorded from the Australasian region. Oculina virgosa is first recorded in Miocene (Altonian) sediments and has a more or less complete record in the later Tertiary of New Zealand. It is characterised, and differs from other species of Oculina by the peculiar arrangement of septa in cycles of seven rather than the customary six. Despite its extensive fossil history, the species is known from only a single locality in modern seas.

Occurrence: Two miles south of North Gape, Northland. 55 fathoms. Fragments of specimens taken alive (Victoria University, Zoology Department.)

Distribution: New Zealand.