Kotatea kapotaiora Kessel & Alderslade & Bilewitch & Schnabel & Norman & Potts & Gardner 2022, gen. et sp. nov.

• Main Authors: Kessel, Gustav M., Alderslade, Philip, Bilewitch, Jaret P., Schnabel, Kareen E., Norman, Jerry, Potts, Romana Tekaharoa, Gardner, Jonathan P. A.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Cnidaria; Anthozoa; Alcyonacea; Alcyoniidae; Kotatea; Kotatea kapotaiora; Pacific; New Zealand; Gardner; North Cape
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/7094108; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7094108

Kotatea kapotaiora gen. et sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7816DF77-E0C6-4237-8CF9-F5CF95D028A8 Figs 1B–C, 2C, 12–13, 14C Māori name Kapo Taiora. Diagnosis Colonies laterally compressed with branching lobes, white with white polyps. Collaret and points colourless, composed of warty spindles and clubs, and some irregular, flattened, branched forms. Tentacles contain irregular, warty, scale-like sclerites. Polyp neck contains warty rod- and spindle-like sclerites. Polyp mounds also contain similar forms, as well as thorny and leafy clubs. Lobe surface contains similar clubs and spiny radiates, with the latter also found in the base surface. Lobe and base interior contains distinct, irregular radiates with a few, thin, thorny, branched processes. Etymology The species name was composed by the Ngāti Kurī Tira Me Te Wā Taiao (Science) Collective, and is a combination of the Māori words kapo, to grasp, tai, the sea or tide, and taiora, nutrients. Ngāti Kurī provided the following kōrero (narrative): “Clasping the sea, grabbing a hold of the ocean currents to ingest the life sustaining nutrients from its waters. Kapo Taiora shows strength and courage to withstand the ever-changing surges of different currents, He punga tū moana (the coral that stands steadfast in the face of all adversity). We need to stand up and grasp the deep tides of new knowledge presented to us by the natural world. Such tenacity also reminds us that our ancient knowledge from the peoples of the Pacific is never lost. We must allow the currents of creative thinking to surge forth and inspire our whānau (family) to seek knowledge and the truth of our science and of our world. Kapo Taiora inspires us all to bring to reality all yet to be discovered knowledge. Our ancient saying: ‘ Te au ō te moana ō naianei, nō onamataa.’ The ocean currents of today are from the ancient world.” Material examined Holotype NEW ZEALAND • Northland, ~ 12 km NW of North Cape; 34.3570° S, 172.8850° E; depth 69 m; 29 Jan. 1999; NIWA exped.; stn Z9712 (KAH9901 /88); ...