Halecium calderi Galea 2010

Halecium calderi Galea, 2010

Fig. 6a–c

Halecium calderi Galea, 2010: 9, figs. 3A–J.

Type locality. Guadeloupe: Grande-Terre, Les Ancres (16° 27.002´N, 61° 32.320´W) (Galea 2010).

Voucher material. Off St. Lucie Inlet, 27°12.8’N, 80°01.2’W, 39 m, 17.v.1976, Johnson-Sea-Link, JSL 2046, diver lockout, two colonies, up to 2 cm high, with gonophores, coll. J. Reed, ROMIZ B1094.— Off St. Lucie Inlet, 27°11.8’N, 80°00.6’W, 42 m, on Oculina varicosa, 17.v.1976, Johnson-Sea-Link, JSL 2047, diver lockout, one colony, 4 cm high, with gonophores, coll. G. Melton, ROMIZ B1124.

Remarks. This is the second record of a species recently described from Guadeloupe by Galea (2010), extending its known range northwards to Florida from the Caribbean Sea. Male gonothecae are illustrated for the first time (Fig. 6c). They differ from those of the female (Fig. 6b) in having fewer lateral crests and in being approximately 30% smaller.

Morphologically, Halecium calderi Galea, 2010 closely resembles Halecium sibogae Billard, 1929 (type locality: Indonesia) and H. sibogae marocanum Billard, 1934 (type locality: Morocco). Relationships of these nominal species-group taxa remain unresolved. For now, the binomen established by Galea (2010) for the warm western North Atlantic population is adopted.

Reported distribution. Atlantic coast of Florida. First record.

Western Atlantic. Florida (this record) to Guadeloupe (Galea 2010).