Comparative analysis on Sclerite Morphometry: a useful tool in the soft corals Lobophytum sp. (Sarcophytidae: Octocorallia: Anthozoa) identification from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Authors

  • S. Rajendra
     Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700 053, West Bengal
  • C. Raghunathan
     Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700 053, West Bengal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v123/i2S/2023/172517

Keywords:

Taxonomy, finger leather coral, lobes, octocoral, Andaman.

Abstract

Soft corals are sessile, marine benthic organisms that play an important role in the coral reef ecosystem. The identification of soft coral species is challenging due to their morphological deviations. Octocorals are one of least studied groups in Indian waters due to a lack of expertise. A total of 60 species under the genus <i>Lobophytum</i> have been identified across the world’s oceans while India shares a total of 21 species including 18 species from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. During the study, <i>Lobophytum</i> specimens were collected from coral reef regions of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands employing SCUBA-diving and hand-picking methods. Specimens were distinguished with lobate, plate-like, or capitate with a prominent stalk and dimorphic, fully retractile polyps into thick coenenchyme. Species were identified by extracting sclerites from various regions of the colony with 5% sodium-hypochlorite (capitulum surface and interior, base surface, and interior) examined under a stereo-zoom microscope. Sclerite structure and measurements, as well as type composition, have been examined in ten <i>Lobophytum</i> species in this study. In different regions of the same colony, the structural composition of each species sclerites varies. Sclerites of various shapes like club-shaped, rod-shaped, spindle-shaped, shuttles, capstans, dumbbells, cylindrical, barrel-shaped, irregular-shaped, and cross-shaped were observed in ten <i>Lobophytum</i> species. The colony morphology also plays a role in taxonomy and species arrangement in systematics. Aside from colony morphology, zooid arrangement in the colony is also important for species identification. The colour of the colonies does not have a proper role in species identification because they show a variety of colours due to their symbiosis with zooxanthellate microalgae. The colony colours are determined by zooxanthellate concentration, temperature, depth, and other environmental factors. However, after preservation, most colonies turn white, beige white, or cream in colour. Hence, Sclerite morphometric is a very useful characteristic for species identification in the <i>Lobophytum</i> species.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2023-07-01

How to Cite

Rajendra, S., & Raghunathan, C. (2023). Comparative analysis on Sclerite Morphometry: a useful tool in the soft corals <i>Lobophytum sp.</i> (Sarcophytidae: Octocorallia: Anthozoa) identification from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 123(2S), 211–222. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v123/i2S/2023/172517

Issue

Volume 123, Issue 2S, Special Issue 2023

Section

Articles
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

Alderslade, P. and Shirwaiker, P. 1991. New species of soft corals (Coelenterata: Octocorallia) from the Laccadive Archipelago. Beagle, 8(1): 189-233.

Bayer, F.M. 1981. Key to the genera of Octocorallia exclusive of Pennatulacea (Coelenterata: Anthozoa), with diagnoses of new taxa. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 94(3): 902-947.

Conci, N., Vargas, S. and Woerheide, G. 2021. The biology and evolution of calcite and aragonite mineralization in Octocorallia. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9: 623774.

Daly, M., Brugler, M.R., Cartwright, P., Collins, A.G., Dawson, M.N., Fautin, D.G., France, S.C., Mcfadden, C.S., Opresko, D.M., Rodriguez, E. and Romano, S.L. 2007. The phylum Cnidaria: a review of phylogenetic patterns and diversity 300 years after Linnaeus. Zootaxa, 1668: 127-182.

Fabricius, K.E. and Alderslade, P. 2001. Soft corals and Sea fans. A comprehensive guide to the tropical shallow water genera of the Central West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Museum, PMB 3, Australia, 1- 264.

Grasshoff, M. 1999. The shallow water gorgonians of New Caledonia and adjacent islands (Coelenterata: Octocorallia). Senckenbergiana Biologica, 78: 1–245.

Hickson, S.J. 1930. On the classification of the Alcyonaria- Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 229-252.

Lau, Y.W., Poliseno, A., Kushida, Y., Quéré, G. and Reimer, J.D. 2019. The classification, diversity and ecology of shallow water octocorals. Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes, 4: 597-611.

McFadden, C.S. van Ofwegen, L.P. and Quattrini, A.M. 2022. Revisionary systematics of Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) guided by phylogenomics. Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists, 1(3): 1-79.

Moser, J. 1919. Beitrage zu einer Revision der Alcyonarien. I. Die Gattungen Sarcophyton Lesson und Lobophytum Marenzeller. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 9(2): 219-294.

Pérez, C.D., de Moura Neves, B., Cordeiro, R.T., Williams, G.C. and Cairns, S.D. 2016. Diversity and Distribution of Octocorallia. In: Goffredo, S., Dubinsky, Z. (eds) The Cnidaria, Past, Present and Future. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978- 3-319-31305-4_8

Studer T. 1887. Versuch eines systems der Alcyonaria. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 53(1): 1-74.

Tentori, E. and van Ofwegen, L. P. (2011). Patterns of distribution of calcite crystals in soft corals sclerites. Journal of Morphology, 272: 614–628.

Thomson, J. A. and Simpson J.J. 1909. An account of the alcyonarians collected by the Royal Indian Marine Survey Ship ‘Investigator’ in the Indian Ocean. Pt.I. The alcyonarians of the Littoral area. Trustees of Indian Museum, Culcutta. I-XVIII, 1-139.

Tixier-Durivault, A. 1956/57. Les Alcyonaires du Museum. I. Familie des Alcyoniidae. 4. Genre Lobophytum. Bulletin du Muséum national d’histoire naturelle Paris., (2) 28(4): 401-405, (5): 476-482, (6): 541-546, 29(1): 106-111.

Tixier-Durivault, A. 1958. Revision of de la Famille des Alcyoniidae: les genres Sarcophytum et Lobophytum. Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden, 36: 1-180.

Tixier-Durivault, A. 1966. Octocoralliaires de Madagascar et des Iles avoisinantes. Fauna de Madagascar, 21: 1-456.

Tixier-Durivault, A. 1970a. Les octocoralliaires de Nouvelle-Caledonie. L’Expedition francaise sur lesrecifs coralliens de la Nouvelle-Caledonie organise sous l’egide de al foundation Singer-Polignac, 1960-1963, 4: 171-350.

Tixier-Durivault, A. 1970b. Les octocoralliaires de Nha-Trang (Viet-Nam). Cahiers du Pacifique, 14: 115-236.

Verseveldt, J. 1971. Octocorallia from North-Western Madagascar (Part II). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden, 117: 1-73.

Verseveldt, J. 1983. A revision of the genus Lobophytum von Marenzeller (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden, 1-103.

Verseveldt, J. and Benayahu, Y. 1983. On two old and fourteen new species of Alcyonacean (Coelenterata, OctocoallIa) from the Red Sea. Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden, 208: 1-38.

Verseveldt, J. and Tursch, A. 1979. Octocorallia from the Bismark Sea (Part I): Laing Islands Biological Station. Contrib, 13. Zoologische mededeelingen, 54(11): 133-148.

von Marenzeller, E. 1886. Ueber die Sarcophytum benannten Alcyoniiden. Zoologische Jahrbücher (Syst.), 1: 341-368.

WoRMS, 2023. Octocorallia. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1341 on 2023-02-04

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>