Dactylanthus sp.

Sanamyan, N. P., Sanamyan, K. E., Bocharova, E. S., Morozov, T. B. & Galkin, S. V., 2023, Sea anemones (Actiniaria, Corallimorpharia and Zoantharia) from the Western Bering Sea (Northwest Pacific), Invertebrate Zoology 20 (1), pp. 27-56 : 32-33

Dactylanthus sp.

Fig. 2G .

MATERIAL. LV-82-10, 55.2882ºN 167.3011ºE – 55.2898ºN 167.2974ºE, depth 2778– 2638 m, one specimen photographed.

REMARKS. This is probably the most interesting record of sea anemone made on the Vulcanologov Massif during recent cruises in the Bering Sea. One large specimen was recorded attached to a vertical rock wall on the southern slope of the Piip Volcano at the depth of about 2700 m. Unfortunately, the ROV failed to collect this specimen, but it was possible to took very detailed photographs. The specimen has long (about 30 cm) cylindrical column covered by small sparse tentacle-like papillae and 24 short tentacles arranged in three cycles (6+6+12) at the margin of the oral disc. The body wall is thin and transparent, all internal structures are clearly visible through it. The shape and structure are so unusual and so closely resemble Dactylanthus antarcticus (Clubb, 1908) , that we have no doubt that this species belongs or is closely related to the genus Dactylanthus (see Sanamyan et al., 2015b for photographs of live specimens of D. antarcticus from Antarctic). Previously this monotypic genus was known only in the Antarctic at the depth 20–610 m ( Dunn, 1983; Sanamyan et al., 2015b). For a long time, this genus, together with related Preactis (monotypic) and Ptychodactis (two species), was treated as a member of a separate order Ptychodactiaria Carlgren, 1940 , but then assigned to the order Actiniaria basing on molecular data. The specimen from the Bering Sea cannot be conspecific with Antarctic D. antarcticus due to geographical and depth separation and is most probably represents the second, undescribed species of this genus.

Figures

Fig. 2. A — Relicanthus cf. daphneae; B — Actinernus robustus; C — Edwardsia sp.; D–E — Edwardsiidae spp. from the Vulcanologov Massif; F — Edwardsiidae sp. from the Koryak slope; G — Dactylanthus sp.; H — Cribrinopsis sp.1; I — cf. Urticina sp.; J — Liponema brevicorne; K — Sicyonis denisovi; L — S. kuznetsovi. Рис. 2. A — Relicanthus cf. daphneae; B — Actinernus robustus; C — Edwardsia sp.; D–E — Edwardsiidae spp. на массиве Вулканологов; F — Edwardsiidae sp. на КорЯкском склоне; G — Dactylanthus sp.; H — Cribrinopsis sp.1; I — cf. Urticina sp.; J — Liponema brevicorne; K — Sicyonis denisovi; L — S. kuznetsovi.