Description of two new genera and two new species of antipatharian corals in the family Aphanipathidae (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Antipatharia)

• DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4966.2.4
• Publication Date: 2021-05-03T00:51:30Z
• Authors: DENNIS M. OPRESKO; MARZIA BO; DAVID P. STEIN; ANN EVANKOW; DANIEL L. DISTEL; MERCER R. BRUGLER
• Keywords: Anthozoa

Two new genera and two species of black corals are recognized in the family Aphanipathidae. The genus Anozopathes, with A. hawaiiensis sp. nov. palauensis, is characterized by a sparsely irregularly branched corallum relatively long branches which can be straight, curved or crooked. Aphanostichopathes, type Cirripathes paucispina Brook, an unbranched long, stem loose distal coils. Mitochondrial DNA data (nad5-IGR-nad1 for Anozopathes cox3-cox1 Aphanostichopathes) indicate that both taxa related to Aphanipathes, Phanopathes Acanthopathes Aphanipathidae, morphologically they share characteristic having spines distinct conical tubercles. separated primarily differences colony growth form size shape skeletal spines. Species Aphanostichopathes density tubercles on surface