Drs. Steve Morton & Susan DeVictor
Info
Pseudodrifa nigra is generally encountered in deeper water along with other members of the Nephtheidae in the SAB, and listed on the basis of a single record.
Pseudodrifa nigra is easily distinguished by its dark brown color, it also has light longitudinal grooves from the polyp tips to the polyp base, and the sclerites, are arranged along the length of the polyps in a checkerboard pattern.
The stalk of the soft coral is short and fleshy with dozens of polyps crowded on a few very short branches.
The sclerites of the coenenchyma are tuberculate rods, and the polyp walls contain clubs with leaf-like heads up to 0.5 mm long.
This species has been found on Desmophyllum pertusum (Linnaeus, 1758) detritus and Keratoisis ornata colonies in deeper areas.
Etymology:
The species epithet "nigra" comes from the Latin meaning "black", referring to the color of the living coral.
Synonyms:
Eunephthya nigra (Pourtalès, 1868)
Nephthya nigra Pourtalès, 1868
Paraspongodes nigra (Pourtalès, 1868)
Our very special and heartfelt thanks for the permission to use all color photos from the article "Identification guide to the shallow water (0-200 m) octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight" goes to the two authors Drs. Steve Morton & Susan DeVictor, USA.
Pseudodrifa nigra is easily distinguished by its dark brown color, it also has light longitudinal grooves from the polyp tips to the polyp base, and the sclerites, are arranged along the length of the polyps in a checkerboard pattern.
The stalk of the soft coral is short and fleshy with dozens of polyps crowded on a few very short branches.
The sclerites of the coenenchyma are tuberculate rods, and the polyp walls contain clubs with leaf-like heads up to 0.5 mm long.
This species has been found on Desmophyllum pertusum (Linnaeus, 1758) detritus and Keratoisis ornata colonies in deeper areas.
Etymology:
The species epithet "nigra" comes from the Latin meaning "black", referring to the color of the living coral.
Synonyms:
Eunephthya nigra (Pourtalès, 1868)
Nephthya nigra Pourtalès, 1868
Paraspongodes nigra (Pourtalès, 1868)
Our very special and heartfelt thanks for the permission to use all color photos from the article "Identification guide to the shallow water (0-200 m) octocorals of the South Atlantic Bight" goes to the two authors Drs. Steve Morton & Susan DeVictor, USA.
