A new species of Anthopleura (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria) from the Mexican Pacific

Anthopleura is one of the most speciose genera within the family Actiniidae. This genus is particularly characterized by its members having both verrucae on the column and acrorhagi on the margin. In the region of the Baja California Peninsula, in the Mexican Pacific, six species of Anthopleura have...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine biodiversity 2024-10, Vol.54 (5), p.70, Article 70
Main Authors: Vassallo-Avalos, Aurora, González-Muñoz, Ricardo, Morrone, Juan J., Acuña, Fabián H., Durán-Fuentes, Jeferson A., Stampar, Sérgio N., Solís-Marín, Francisco A., Rivas, Gerardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Anthopleura
Bats
Biodiversity
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Coloration
Colour
Data collection
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Gene sequencing
Genetic analysis
Intertidal environment
Intertidal zone
Life Sciences
Marine invertebrates
Morphology
New species
Original Paper
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Physical characteristics
Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Sphincter
Warts
Zooxanthellae
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Description
Summary:Anthopleura is one of the most speciose genera within the family Actiniidae. This genus is particularly characterized by its members having both verrucae on the column and acrorhagi on the margin. In the region of the Baja California Peninsula, in the Mexican Pacific, six species of Anthopleura have been documented, which are relatively well defined by their morphological characteristics and coloration patterns. During recent visits to the intertidal zone of Cerritos, in Baja California Sur, we found individuals of Anthopleura displaying a variety of colorations that do not agree with known species for the region. We collected and examined specimens of four morphotypes of Anthopleura , analyzing them by integrating information about their external and internal anatomy, as well as their cnidome. Additionally, we obtained and analyzed genetic sequences from mitochondrial and nuclear markers through phylogenetic analyses. Our results reveal that the four morphotypes belong to a single, and undescribed species of Anthopleura . We provide a detailed description of the species Anthopleura variata sp. nov., which is characterized by a variety of coloration patterns, as well as having a circumscribed, palmate, and pedunculate marginal sphincter muscle, harboring zooxanthellae, and lacking directive mesenteries, among other characteristics. Anthopleura variata sp. nov. is the 49th species in the genus and the seventh species of Anthopleura documented for the Mexican Pacific.
ISSN:1867-1616
1867-1624
DOI:10.1007/s12526-024-01464-2