NDLI: Microstructure of octocoral sclerites for diagnosis of taxonomic features

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Aharonovich, Dafna Benayahu, Yehuda
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	The octocoral family Xeniidae constitutes a major faunistic component of Indo-Pacific coral reefs, particularly in the Red Sea. The sclerites of several common genera, among which Xenia, are composed of minute platelets, or corpuscle-like forms, with a surface that appears almost smooth at light microscope magnification. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the fine microstructure of the xeniid-sclerites, leading to the establishment of several new taxa, including the genus Ovabunda, whose spheroid sclerites are composed of aggregations of minute microscleres rather than the Xenia-style platelets. The present study applied for the first time high-resolution environmental SEM (ESEM) in order to examine the detailed structure of these octocoral sclerites. It determines whether and how the microstructural features in three type specimens of O. biseriata, O. faraunensis and O. impulsatilla play a role in determining their structural stability: namely, how the corpuscular microscleres adhere together and maintain the sclerites’ spheroid shape. The study revealed the surface of the microscleres to be constructed of coarse granular crystals, and the adjacent microscleres to be interconnected by various microstructural means. It is suggested that these microstructural features are diagnostic for the genus. Future examination of type specimens of other Ovabunda species, as well as additional xeniid genera, will also enable a better evaluation of the taxonomic importance of high-resolution images in relation to other genera.
Starting Page	173
Ending Page	177
Page Count	5
File Format	PDF
ISSN	18671616
Journal	Marine Biodiversity
Volume Number	42
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	18671624
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2011-09-28
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Octocorallia Xeniidae Sclerites Microstructure Taxonomy Electron microscopy Freshwater & Marine Ecology Biodiversity Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography

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