taxonID	type	description	language	source
03BA87D5FFC7FFA9ACBBFDD4FE7CFA30.taxon	materials_examined	TYPE SPECIES. — Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA9ACBBFDD4FE7CFA30.taxon	etymology	ETYMOLOGY. — Th e greek prefix “ pseudo ”, meaning “ false ” or “ fake ”, is appended to Chrysogorgia in allusion to the morphological resemblance between this new taxon and the established Chrysogorgia. Th is resemblance is reflected by the morphology-based parsimony analysis, in which Pseudochrysogorgia n. gen. appears most closely related to Chrysogorgia rather than Metallogorgia, its sister taxon based on genetics (Fig. 8). Therefore, this combination was chosen over a combination involving Metallogorgia because misidentification of this new taxon for Chrysogorgia is more likely than misidentification for Metallogorgia. Gender is feminine.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA9ACBBFDD4FE7CFA30.taxon	diagnosis	DIAGNOSIS. — The colony is bottlebrush-shaped, and its main axis is monopodial, slightly zigzagging. Branches are subdividing dichotomously in multiple planes. Branch subdivision occurs at a relatively constant angle averaging 120 °, resulting in hexagonal patterns. Over half of the polyps are leaning distad. Th e neck can be narrower than the head. On average, polyps are as wide as they are tall. Sclerites are slightly ornamented, in the form of plates, scales and rods. When the polyp is not leaning distad, sclerites are arranged obliquely on the polyp body. When polyps are leaning distad, sclerites are 1) mostly longitudinally arranged (parallel to the branch) on the polyp body, 2) placed obliquely in the area of the neck, and 3) longitudinally arranged on the head and along the back of the tentacles. The branch coenenchyme contains sclerites in the form of scales and plates that are mostly parallel to main branch axis.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	materials_examined	HOLOTYPE. — W of New Caledonia. Bellona Plateau, EBISCO stn CP 2557 (MNHN-IC. 2008 - 006). PARATYPES. — W of New Caledonia. Bellona Plateau, EBISCO stn CP 2557 (MNHN-IC. 2008 - 007). N of New Zealand. Otara Seamount, stn TAN 0413 / 41 (NIWA 16273).	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	etymology	ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet refers to the type locality. Noun in apposition.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	materials_examined	ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Only polyps were examined (see note in Material and methods section). N of New Zealand. Otara Seamount, stn TAN 0413 / 35 (NIWA 15611). — stn TAN 0413 / 41 (NIWA 16272).	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. — Known from the type locality (Bellona Plateau, Coral Sea) and Otara Seamount, at southern tip of the Kermadec Ridge (N of New Zealand). The two localities are separated by approximately 2550 km.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	diagnosis	DIAGNOSIS. — Same as that of the genus.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	description	DESCRIPTION Measurements and estimates of variation in character states are detailed in Table 2. Colonies are black and matte at the base, and are characterized by a dark metallic luster (holotype and paratype NIWA 16273 black; paratype MNHN-IC. 2008 - 007 dark brown). Branching sequence, as defined for Chrysogorgia (e. g., Versluys 1902; Cairns 2002, 2007) is 2 / 7 R for the holotype, and irregular for the paratypes (see Discussion). Th e irregular branching pattern seen on the paratype is linked to the fact that the stem bifurcates and anastomoses. Th e distance between branches along the stem is regular, particularly on the holotype. Coenenchyme covers most of the upper part of the stem and branches and contains numerous sclerites. Th e stem is stiff, robust, and significantly thicker than the base of branches along most of the colony (proximal area: stem twice as thick as branches; distal area: stem and branches equally thick). Branches are stiff and stem from the main axis at nearly right angles. Order of branching is variable, mostly between four and six; the number of nodes per branch varies between 10 and 39. Branching occurs in multiple planes. The internodal distance and the angle between subdividing branches are regular. Axial polyps were not observed on the holotype or the paratype, and polyp occurrence starts on the second branch internode. Over half of the polyps lean to one side. Polyps appear to always be leaning in the direction of branch growth. They are on average as wide as they are tall and their size varies between 1.7 and 3.5 mm. Th ey are constricted at the neck, a character that seems to be exacerbated when polyps are left to dry. The arrangement of sclerites is detailed in the diagnosis of the genus. Sclerites do not appear tightly interlocked: while exposing polyps to bleach in an effort to remove the upper tissue layer covering the sclerites, these would fall off the polyp very rapidly (see Material and methods). All observed types of sclerites are warted; rods are more finely warted than scales. Scales have blunt extremities. Crosses (scales and rods with four rays in one plane) are rare but occur in the coenenchyme, body wall and tentacles. Most sclerites of the coenenchyme are scales and few are plates (for example, the fourth sclerite of Figure 6 A is considered as a plate). While the proximal part of the polyp body wall (anthostele) is almost exclusively covered by scales, the distal part is richer in rods. Th e longest rods are found at the base of the tentacles, while smaller rods are found along the back of the tentacles.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
03BA87D5FFC7FFA5ACEBF9EAFC2DF95D.taxon	discussion	REMARKS The holotype and the paratype MNHN-IC. 2008 - 007 were associated with hydroids, which were attached at the tips of a few branches. While the sister taxon M. melanotrichos is found in close association with Ophiocreas oedipus Lyman, 1879 (Mosher & Watling 2009), no brittle stars were observed on the colonies examined (however, the symbionts might have been separated during or after sampling). Specimens from the NIWA: NIWA 15611, colony highly fragmented, main stem missing; NIWA 16272, colony highly fragmented, only part of the main stem is available; NIWA 16273, colony fragmented, main stem present. As NIWA 16272 and NIWA 16273 come from the same station (TAN 0413 / 41), and that both lots contain branch fragments, it cannot be excluded that each lot may contain fragments from more than one colony. Bifurcation pattern of secondary branches, polyp morphology, size and spacing of the NIWA specimens is consistent with that of the MNHN specimens. However, while axial polyps were not observed on the MNHN specimens, these appear to be present on NIWA 16273. In addition, polyps can be observed on first internodes (Fig. 4). While the stems of both the MNHN type specimens were broken at the base, NIWA 16273 had an intact, root-like holdfast (Fig. 4). Th is may indicate that the colony was collected from soft-sediments. Polyp preparation: the speed at which sclerites fall from the polyp when exposed to bleach might depend on specimen fixation and preservation. Indeed, exposure to glutaraldehyde had the desired effect of locking sclerites into place, allowing for the digestion of the upper tissue layer. The same observation was made for M. melanotrichos. The described arrangement of sclerites (scales in body wall and rods in tentacles) corresponds to the “ Squamosae aberrantes ” (group B) as defined by Versluys (1902) for Chrysogorgia. Finally, polyps leaning distad have a swollen base, in which eggs can be found. Th is condition might be associated with the production of eggs.	en	Pante, Eric, France, Scott C. (2010): Pseudochrysogorgia bellona n. gen., n. sp.: a new genus and species of chrysogorgiid octocoral (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) from the Coral Sea. Zoosystema 32 (4): 595-612
