Stichopathes spiessi Opresko & Genin, 1990

Fig. 5, 6

Stichopathes spiessi Opresko & Genin, 1990: 301–310, figs. 1, 2, 3.

Types and type locality. USNM 82983 (holotype): North Pacific, Jasper seamount, 30°25’N, 122°45’W, 900 m; USNM 82984 (paratype): Jasper seamount 30°26.6’N, 122°43.6’W, 900– 750 m; USNM 82985 (paratype): Jasper seamount, 30°25.6’N, 122°43.7’W, 950– 840 m. USNM 82986 (paratype): Jasper seamount, 30°25’N, 122°45’W; USNM 82987 (paratype): 32°25.78’N, 127°47.4’W, 440– 488 m.

Material examined. Brazil, off Santa Catarina. 28º52’0.001”S, 46º58’59.999”W. Date: 17/09/2002. Depth: 540 m (MNRJ 6757, 1 specimen).

Diagnosis. Corallum monopodial, in irregular spirals. Spines conical, laterally compressed, round, with small tubercles on the apex, usually covering around 1/3 of the distal surface of the spines. Spines 0.14–0.24 mm in height (mostly smaller than 0.2 mm) from the center of the base to the apex. Spines in seven to 10 longitudinal rows, with around five to six complete rows in side view. Polyps 1.2–1.8 mm in transverse diameter, with three to five polyps per centimeter along the axis (adapted from Opresko & Genin, 1990).

Description of Brazilian specimens. Corallum monopodial, unpinnulated and unbranched, whip-like; axis spiral, around 29 cm in height (Fig. 5 a–b). Thickness of the stem at the base is 2.14 mm. First spiral occurring about 11 cm from the base. Diameter of spirals around 8 cm. Spines conical, with apex covered by tubercles, arranged in six to eight rows (Fig. 5 c–d). Height of polypar spines between 0.13 and 0.22 mm; abpolypar spines 0.10 to 0.13 mm in height. Base of spines 0.18–0.27 mm in proximal-distal direction. Distance between spines varying from 0.582 mm to 1.100 mm in each row; density of around two spines per millimeter.

Remarks. Maximum height of spines examined herein did not exceed those described for the holotype (up to 0.24 mm). Opresko & Genin (1990) described remarkable variation in size, density and surface of the spines within a same specimen and between different specimens. The surface of spines of our specimen resembles that described for the holotype, with tubercles only on the distal third of the spines. Our specimen differs from the latter in the morphology of the corallum, due to its regular spirals in contrast with the irregular pattern of the type specimens. Stichopathes spiessi differs from S. paucispina (Brook, 1889) mainly by having spines shorter and more rounded (up to 0.24 mm, in contrast with 0.34 mm, respectively). Opresko & Genin (1990) provided a detailed comparison, pointing out several other differences among these species, like the polyp size. Among the specimens examined herein, S. spiessi has more rounded spines and with tubercles less pronounced than S. paucispina (Fig. 5 c–d).

Distribution. Dominant megafaunal component on rocky bottoms between 450 and 900 m deep. Northeastern Pacific Seamounts (Opresko & Genin, 1990), and Southwestern Atlantic, Brazil, off Santa Catarina (this work) (Fig. 6); from 440 m (Opresko & Genin, 1990) to 1100 m depths (Opresko & Genin, 1990).