Thouarella affinis Wright and Studer 1889

• Main Authors: TAYLOR, M. L., CAIRNS, S. D., AGNEW, D. J., ROGERS, A. D.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2013
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Cnidaria; Anthozoa; Alcyonacea; Primnoidae; Thouarella; Thouarella affinis; Inaccessible Island; Tierra del Fuego
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10539793; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/EE36E867FFA5FFCFFF0AAC65FB5F0C71

4. Thouarella affinis Wright and Studer, 1889 Figs 10, 11 Thouarella affinis Wright & Studer, 1889: 66–68, pl.11, fig. 3; Thomson & Henderson 1906: 38 (list); Kükenthal 1912: 302 (listed) Thouarella (Epithouarella) affinis Kükenthal 1915: 151 (key); 1919: 435–436; 1924: 300 (key) Thouarella (Thouarella) affinis Cairns & Bayer 2009: 27 (listed) Material examined : Holotype , NHM 1889.5.27.44, 65 mm fragment, H.M.S. Challenger , sta. 135D, off Inaccessible Island, Tristan de Cunha, 37˚25’S, 12˚22’30”W, 91–128 m, 15 Jul 1874. Other material: ZMH, R/ V W. Herwig , sta. 232, east of Isla de los Estados, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, SW Atlantic, 54˚46’S, 62˚30’W, 800 m, 1971. Description As only a small fragment was available, descriptions of axis and colony morphology were taken from the type description. The colony is bottlebrush, (Fig. 10a) but can appear bilateral. The axis is yellow, stiff, and brittle, although the branch apex is more flexible. The stem twists in a spiral from base to a quarter-length from the apex whereupon the next twist commences. The branching of this species is dense, with only 1.5–2 mm between branchlets; becoming denser towards the apex. The branchlets are mostly simple, with some forking (dividing usually in basal region of branchlet), upwardly inclined 60–90˚, and up to 50 mm long. The branchlets are arranged in spirals from 3 sides of the main stem with 4 branchlets occurring within one spiral, but as the stem twists the spiral is difficult to follow. The polyps are isolated, 1.1–2.1 mm high, at a density of 7–9 per cm (with denser placement at branchlet apex, which generally has a polyp at the tip). The polyps can be modestly flared but generally have a wide, rounded head extending from a slender polyp body making them clavate (Fig. 10b,c; H:W of 1.3–2.1, average 1.7). The polyps are arranged in short spirals of 3–4 and angled distally at 45–60˚. Each polyp has 8 longitudinal rows with 6–7 scales in each abaxial row and 5 adaxially. The tall rounded operculum rises above ...