Cladiella irregularis (Tixier-Durivault, 1944)

Lazar, Einav, Mcfadden, Catherine S., Huchon, Dorothée & Benayahu, Yehuda, 2025, Redescription of type material of the genus Cladiella Gray, 1869 (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea, Cladiellidae) from the Red Sea, Zootaxa 5674 (1), pp. 1-84 : 44

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5674.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FF8F0124-E9C0-45E0-9989-C0B74BF11036
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039787D2-FC73-FFFA-EDA9-FF198D8BE082
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cladiella irregularis (Tixier-Durivault, 1944)
status

Treatment

Cladiella irregularis (Tixier-Durivault, 1944) View in CoL

( Figs. 28A View FIGURE 28 , 29 View FIGURE 29 & 30 View FIGURE 30 )

Lobularia irregularis Tixier-Durivault, 1944a: 186–187 View in CoL ; Tixier-Durivault 1948: 65–70, Figs. 55–60 View FIGURE 55 View FIGURE 56 View FIGURE 57 View FIGURE 58 View FIGURE 59 View FIGURE 60 .

NOT Alcyonium globuliferum and A. digitulatum View in CoL (partly); Stiasny 1937: 392.

Material examined. Syntypes. MNHN-IK-2000-384, Red Sea, coll. H. Michelin; MNHN-IK-2000–518, same details as MNHN-IK-2000-384 .

Description. Syntype MNHN-IK-2000-384 is an encrusting colony with a cross-section of 40 x 38 mm featuring densely placed rounded or laterally flattened lobes and lobules divided into two groups ( Fig. 28A View FIGURE 28 ). The retracted polyps appear on the lobes’ surface as dark pits.

The sclerome of the polyps includes platelets featuring a remarkably irregular outline and, commonly, lateral constrictions and slits, 0.05–0.06 mm long ( Fig. 29A View FIGURE 29 ). Their surface has a tuberculate texture and in part a cristate-like one. The surface of the lobes presents poorly developed dumbbells, 0.04–0.07 mm long, ornamented with a very irregular tuberculation comprising rounded tubercles ( Fig. 29B View FIGURE 29 ). The tubercles of most of these sclerites are fused and occasionally separated by slits, leading to their diverse asymmetrical morphologies. The interior of the lobes features dumbbells, 0.06–0.08 mm long, with blunt-ended conical tubercles and rounded ones, separated by a bare waist, 0.01–0.03 mm wide and 0.01–0.02 mm long ( Fig. 29C View FIGURE 29 ). In the base of the colony surface there are poorly developed dumbbells, 0.06–0.08 mm long, mostly with rounded tubercles or blunt-ended conical ones ( Fig. 30A View FIGURE 30 ). The dumbbells from the base interior are 0.06–0.09 mm long, featuring pointed conical or blunt-ended conical tubercles, separated by a bare waist, 0.02–0.03 mm wide and 0.01–0.02 mm long ( Fig. 30B View FIGURE 30 ).

Color. The dry syntype MNHN-IK-2000-384 is beige-brown.

Remarks. The initial species assignment of L. irregularis by Tixier-Durivault 1944a: 186–187) did not depict the morphological characters of the syntype colony. These were subsequently presented in the revision of the genus ( Tixier-Durivault 1948: 65–70, Figs. 55–60 View FIGURE 55 View FIGURE 56 View FIGURE 57 View FIGURE 58 View FIGURE 59 View FIGURE 60 ). The current examination of the colony and sclerites of syntype MNHN- IK-2000-384 corresponds to the latter amended description. The irregular surface of the polyp sclerites ( Fig. 29A View FIGURE 29 ) and the asymmetrical morphology of the poorly developed dumbbells ( Figs. 29B View FIGURE 29 , 30A View FIGURE 30 ) are diagnostic of this species as correctly reflected by the species’ name. Syntype MNHN-IK-2000-518 (not shown) resembles the other syntype except for its size. No details are given on the precise locality in the Red Sea where the type-colony was collected.