Zoosystematics and Evolution (Pensoft)
Info
In 2024, several specimens of Anthomastus mirabilis were collected from the South Central Atlantic Ridge using the manned submersible “Jiaolong” during the Chinese Ocean 83 expedition organized by the National Deep Sea Center (NDSC) aboard the research vessel “Shenhai Yihao.”
Anthomastus mirabilis is a mushroom-shaped soft coral with a spherical capitulum and a short, inconspicuous stalk.
The polyps are dimorphic.
The autozooids are large, retractable, and evenly distributed across the capitulum.
The siphonozooids are invisible, numerous, and densely scattered among the autozooids.
The sclerite profile is diverse but is characterized by the absence of spindles in all parts of the colony.
The sclerites of the capitulum surface and stem consist predominantly of multiradiates and plates.
The tentacle sclerites consist predominantly of dumbbells and plates, while the anthocodial walls contain clubs and dumbbells.
The pharyngeal sclerites are plates with a distinct median waist and crosses.
The polyps have 22 large autozooids, which are evenly distributed across the capitulum and typically spaced about 8 mm apart.
The autozooids are retractable, with some being completely retracted, while others are contracted with inwardly curved tentacles, forming small spherical protrusions on the surface of the capitulum.
The autozooids are large, with a maximum length of 51 mm (including
Literature reference:
Li, Xinlong & Xu, Ningxia & Meiling, Ge & Hu, Xuying & Li, Mengna & Wang, Zongling & Zhang, Xuelei & Xu, Qinzeng. (2025).
Morphology and phylogeny of two new species of deep-sea mushroom soft corals (Octocorallia, Corallidae, Anthomastinae) from the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101. 2103-2121. 10.3897/zse.101.163559.
LicenseCC BY 4.0
Anthomastus mirabilis is a mushroom-shaped soft coral with a spherical capitulum and a short, inconspicuous stalk.
The polyps are dimorphic.
The autozooids are large, retractable, and evenly distributed across the capitulum.
The siphonozooids are invisible, numerous, and densely scattered among the autozooids.
The sclerite profile is diverse but is characterized by the absence of spindles in all parts of the colony.
The sclerites of the capitulum surface and stem consist predominantly of multiradiates and plates.
The tentacle sclerites consist predominantly of dumbbells and plates, while the anthocodial walls contain clubs and dumbbells.
The pharyngeal sclerites are plates with a distinct median waist and crosses.
The polyps have 22 large autozooids, which are evenly distributed across the capitulum and typically spaced about 8 mm apart.
The autozooids are retractable, with some being completely retracted, while others are contracted with inwardly curved tentacles, forming small spherical protrusions on the surface of the capitulum.
The autozooids are large, with a maximum length of 51 mm (including
Literature reference:
Li, Xinlong & Xu, Ningxia & Meiling, Ge & Hu, Xuying & Li, Mengna & Wang, Zongling & Zhang, Xuelei & Xu, Qinzeng. (2025).
Morphology and phylogeny of two new species of deep-sea mushroom soft corals (Octocorallia, Corallidae, Anthomastinae) from the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101. 2103-2121. 10.3897/zse.101.163559.
LicenseCC BY 4.0
