Plazi
Info
Holotype and paratypes of the soft coral Alcyonium yepayek were from Canal Pitt Chico, Chile, depth 17 m, from steep cliffs, strong current with many hydrocorals and crabs, collection date 7 March 2006 and Bernardo Area, Canal Caldcleugh, Chile and Chile, Fjord Bernardo, Boca Bernardo S (Canal Farquhar), collection date 30 March 2005, from depths between 9 - 13 meters.
The holotype consisted of three lobes enclosing a gorgonian branch.
The largest lobe is one cm long and wide, the other two are smaller, lacking a true peduncle.
Color. Colonies orange, most anthocodia and smaller internal sclerites colorless, all others yellow.
Habitat and abundance
The species was found between 9 and 17 meters on rocky and biogenic substrates (shells) of canals in the central Patagonian zone, locally the species was abundant.
Variability. The soft corals are a few cm high and about 1.5 cm wide.
Remarks. Alcyonium yepayek resembles Alcyonium jorgei in terms of internal rods, but differs in having broader lobes and most clubs with a central tubercle. It also resembles Alcyonium glaciophilum, but this species has much longer rods internally, which are also present in the upper part of the colony.
Etymology. The species is named after the ship of the CONAF (National Park Ranger) of the XII. Region, Yepayek, on which the specimen collection expeditions were conducted.
Source:
Pérez, Carlos Daniel & Zamponi, Mauricio Oscar, 2004,
New records of octocorals (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from the south western Atlantic Ocean, with zoogeographic considerations,
Zootaxa 630, pp. 1-12 : 4
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3509648
The holotype consisted of three lobes enclosing a gorgonian branch.
The largest lobe is one cm long and wide, the other two are smaller, lacking a true peduncle.
Color. Colonies orange, most anthocodia and smaller internal sclerites colorless, all others yellow.
Habitat and abundance
The species was found between 9 and 17 meters on rocky and biogenic substrates (shells) of canals in the central Patagonian zone, locally the species was abundant.
Variability. The soft corals are a few cm high and about 1.5 cm wide.
Remarks. Alcyonium yepayek resembles Alcyonium jorgei in terms of internal rods, but differs in having broader lobes and most clubs with a central tubercle. It also resembles Alcyonium glaciophilum, but this species has much longer rods internally, which are also present in the upper part of the colony.
Etymology. The species is named after the ship of the CONAF (National Park Ranger) of the XII. Region, Yepayek, on which the specimen collection expeditions were conducted.
Source:
Pérez, Carlos Daniel & Zamponi, Mauricio Oscar, 2004,
New records of octocorals (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from the south western Atlantic Ocean, with zoogeographic considerations,
Zootaxa 630, pp. 1-12 : 4
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3509648
