Zoosystematics and Evolution (Pensoft)
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In 2024, eight specimens of Neoanthomastus longistylus were collected from the South Atlantic Mid-Atlantic Ridge using the manne submersible “Jiaolong” during the Chinese Ocean 83 expedition organized by the National Deep Sea Center (NDSC) aboard the research vessel “Shenhai Yihao.”
In addition to Neoanthomastus longistylus, another deep-sea soft coral, Anthomastus mirabilis, was also discovered, which we will also present.
Neoanthomastus longistylus is a mushroom-shaped soft coral with a slender stem, siphonozooids distributed on the capitulum and upper third of the stem, and tentacle sclerites that are predominantly straight rods and rods with a curved end.
The siphonozooids are distributed over the entire surface of the capitulum and extend to the stem, with pharyngeal sclerites that are mostly rods. These characteristics distinguish the coral from other genera of the subfamily and assign it to the genus Neoanthomastus.
Etymology. The species name “longistylus” refers to the long stalk, one of the characteristic features of this azooxanthellate species.
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
In addition to Neoanthomastus longistylus, another deep-sea soft coral, Anthomastus mirabilis, was also discovered, which we will also present.
Neoanthomastus longistylus is a mushroom-shaped soft coral with a slender stem, siphonozooids distributed on the capitulum and upper third of the stem, and tentacle sclerites that are predominantly straight rods and rods with a curved end.
The siphonozooids are distributed over the entire surface of the capitulum and extend to the stem, with pharyngeal sclerites that are mostly rods. These characteristics distinguish the coral from other genera of the subfamily and assign it to the genus Neoanthomastus.
Etymology. The species name “longistylus” refers to the long stalk, one of the characteristic features of this azooxanthellate species.
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
