The Extant Scleractinian Corals of New Zealand
Corals Recorded from New Zealand
Corals Recorded from New Zealand
It is our intent here to discuss four species of coral which have been recorded from New Zealand, but are not represented in collections, seen by the present authors. Two of the records are of unnamed species, and a third is, possibly, the result of mixing of collections and, therefore, probably an erroneous record.
Family Micrabaciidae Vaughan, 1905
Genus Stephanophyllia Michelin, 1841
Stephanophyllia formosissima Moseley, 1881
1881. | Stephanophyllia formosissima Moseley, p. 201, Pl. 13, figs. 6, 7; Pl. 16, figs. 8, 9. |
Wells (1958, p. 263) recorded a single, young specimen of this species as existing in the British Museum (Natural History) (B.M. 52-5-10-1). The specimen is reported to have been collected by Hugh Cummings, from New Zealand, but has no data with it.
Family Caryophylliidae Gray, 1847
Genus Trochocyathus Edwards and Haime, 1848
Trochocyathus (Thecocyathus) sp. ?
Gardiner (1929) records "A single little cone, 10 mm high, with calicle 7.5 mm in diameter must be referred to this genus." The specimen is heavily epithecate. It was collected from Terra Nova station 91, Three Kings Island, 300 fathoms.
Genus Conocyathus D'Orbigny, 1849
Conocyathus zelandiae Duncan, 1876
1876. | Conocyathus zelandiae Duncan, p. 341, Pl. 38, fig. 1-3. |
Duncan (1876, p. 429) records this species from Cook Strait, its type locality, where he collected two specimens. Although the species occurs in the fossil record of New Zealand (Squires, 1958), there are no additional records of its occurrence in New Zealand. It is, however, very common in several areas in Australia and has been reported from the Persian Gulf. Dredging operations in New Zealand are not yet sufficiently complete to permit a categorical statement regarding its non-occurrence, but, as Cook Strait is perhaps one of the more intensively studied areas of the shelf, it is surprising that the species has not been recollected.
Family Flabellidae Bourne, 1905
Genus Gardineria Vaughan, 1907
Gardineria sp.
Gardiner (1928) referred three specimens collected from Terra Nova station 96 (Three Kings Island, 70 fathoms) and a single specimen from station 90 (Three Kings Island, 100 fathoms) to this genus. He comments that they differ from G. lillei Gardiner, and Antarctic species, in the more complete insertion of the fourth cycle of septa. He also notes that the edges of the septa are much twisted, and that the septa bear low, blunt spines laterally.