Leptogorgia lutkeni (Wright & Studer 1889)
- Dataset
- The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Cnidaria
- class
- Anthozoa
- order
- Alcyonacea
- family
- Gorgoniidae
- genus
- Leptogorgia
- species
- Leptogorgia lutkeni
description
Justification: These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Thomson & Henderson 1906: 264 – 265 (Andamans); Thomson & Simpson 1909: 264 – 265 (Andamans); Thomson & Crane 1909: 132 – 133, fig. 11 (Beyt Island); Thomson & Crane 1909 a: 365 (Beyt Island — same material); Fernando 2011: 91 – 91, pl. 59, fig. 1 – 1 c (Pamban); Fernando et al. 2017: 191 – 192, pl. 87, fig. 1 – 1 c (Pamban). Literature analysis: This species was first obtained from Sub-Antarctic waters and was originally placed in Lophogorgia but was later transferred to Leptogorgia by Bielschowski (1918) when revising the genus — Lophogorgia is a junior synonym of Leptogorgia. Bielschowski stated that the Indian and Sri Lankan specimens identified as Leptogorgia l ¸ tkeni by Thomson & Henderson (1906), Thomson & Simpson (1909) and Thomson & Crane (1909, 1909 a) are not this species, which is not surprising as it was first collected off Prince Edward Island at a depth of over 550 m. The specimens these authors described were probably all species of Pseudopterogorgia (Williams & Lindo 1997), and that Thomson & Henderson’s (1905) was probably a new species (Williams & Vennam 2001). The accounts provided by Fernando (2011) and Fernando et al. (2017) are identical and headed “ Pseudopterogorgia l ¸ tkeni (Wright & Studer, 1889) ”. Their list of synonyms include “ Pseudopterogorgia l ¸ tkeni Williams & Lindo, 1997 ” and “ Pseudopterogorgia l ¸ tkeni Williams & Vennam, 2001 ”, when in fact both of these publications recognised the species as a Leptogorgia. As the authors commented, the growth form of their material looks more like that of a species of Lophorgorgia but the sclerites include poorly developed scaphoids, however, the images are very small and the sclerites differences between Leptogorgia and Pseudopterogorgia can be very subtle (Williams & Lindo 1997). It is not until the end of their ‘ Remarks’ section that the authors state their specimen is not the same as Lophogorgia l ¸ tkeni. Rao & Devi (2003) and Venkataraman et al. (2004) just listed the species.