taxonID	type	description	language	source
039C8788FFAEFFD92BF62391924AFC09.taxon	diagnosis	GENERIC DIAGNOSIS. — Virgulariid pennatulaceans with slender, bilateral, often vermiform colony shape. Axis present throughout colony length, most often round in transverse section. Polyp leaves subtended by fanlike armatures of spindle-like to needle-like sclerites, which may or may not be three-flanged. Sclerites from other parts of colony inconspicuous to absent.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFD92BF62391924AFC09.taxon	type_taxon	TYPE SPECIES. — Virgularia elongata (Gabb, 1862); subsequent designation by Verrill, 1864; type locality California.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFD92BF62391924AFC09.taxon	etymology	ETYMOLOGY. — The generic name is derived from the Greek Stylos: a style, stake, or pillar. SYSTEMATICS AND PHYLOGENETIC ASSESSMENT. — The genus Stylatula contains thirteen described species from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Japan to Norway), between approximately 65 ° north and 50 ° south latitude (Fig. 9). With the addition of the new species described here, thirteen species are considered valid; known geographic range Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Japan to North & South America to Norway and Namibia), 0 – 1020 m in depth (Williams 1995: 122; Williams 2011: 6; Williams 2014). The genus Stylatula differs from other genera in the family Virgulariidae by the presence of a conspicuous fan-shaped armature subtending each polyp leaf, comprised of relatively robust sclerites. Of the five described genera in the family, only Stylatula, Acanthoptilum, and Scytalium have sclerites in the rachis and polyp leafs, while Virgularia and Scytaliopsis do not.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	description	Figures 1 – 9.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	diagnosis	SPECIES DIAGNOSIS. — Virgulariid pennatulaceans; mature colonies <65 mm long; number of polyps per polyp leaf 2 – 4; number of large sclerites comprising fan-shaped polyp leaf armature <7; sclerites three-flanged throughout.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	materials_examined	MATERIAL EXAMINED. — HOLOTYPE: CASIZ 198016; Japan, Iwate Prefecture, Sanriku, Otsuchi Bay; 39 ° 20,710 ′ N x 141 ° 56,923 ′ E; 44 m depth; 28 April 2009; collection number AKM 1414; collector Asako K. Matsumoto on board R / V Yayoi with 1 m biological dredge; remarks – mud bottom inside bay, water temperature 9.6 ° C: one whole specimen preserved in 95 % EtOH. PARATYPES: CASIZ 198017; same data as holotype. CASIZ 203514; Japan, Iwate Prefecture, Sanriku, east Otsuchi Bay; approximate coordinates 39 ° 24 ′ – 39 ° 34 ′ N, ca. 142 ° 10 ′ – 142 ° 41 ′ E; 118 – 120 m depth; 12 November 1993; collection number AKM 1627 (= 1618 b); collector S. Ohta on board R / V Tansei-maru KT 93 – 15 cruise, St. 01 with 1 m biological dredge; remarks – separated from AKM 1618 a; one whole specimen fixed in formalin and preserved in 95 % EtOH. OTHER MATERIAL (non-type): CASIZ 203513; same data as holotype.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	description	DESCRIPTION. — The wet-preserve holotype measures 36 mm in length and 2. 5 mm at it widest point (across the second polyp pair from the terminal apex. The internal axis is thin and extends the length of the colony. It is cylindrical, round in cross section, and contains numerous surface pores, which are often narrow and elongated. The composition of the axis is that of radially-arranged, wedge-shaped columns of calcareous matter, as in other pennatulaceans (Figs. 2 – 4), which is similar to the axial structure of ellisellid gorgonians (Bayer, 1956: 224). Of the approximately thirty-five pairs of polyp leaves that are distinguishable, nine of these at the upper end of the rachis are fully developed, have mature polyps and conspicuous fan-shaped basal armature. The other twenty-six polyp leaf pairs are incipient, or not fully mature, and are not separated from apex. Small, cross-like sclerites may also be present. Some sclerites may also have a short side branch (Figs. 5 – 6).	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	etymology	ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet is derived from the Late Latin, deminutivum (indicating small size); in reference to the miniature size of the colonies relative to those of other species in the genus.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. — Otsuchi Bay, Iwate Prefecture, Japan; 44 – 120 m depth range.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
039C8788FFAEFFDC2A68261D915AFB31.taxon	description	VARIATION. — The polyp leaves that comprise a single pair can be arranged oppositely (as in the holotype CAS 198016) or sub-alternately (as in CAS 203513). The four entire specimens examined ranged in length from 36 – 60 mm.	en	Williams, Gary C., Matsumoto, Asako K. (2015): A Review of the Pennatulacean Genus Stylatula, with the Description of a New Species from Japan (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (8): 257-266, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512380
