A new species of Nicella (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) from the
western Atlantic
Stephen T. Viada* and Stephen D. Cairns
(STV) CSA International, Inc., 759 Parkway Street, Jupiter, Florida 33477-4505, U.S.A.,
e-mail: sviada@conshelf.com;
(SDC) Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History,
Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, U.S.A.,
e-mail: cairnss@si.edu
Abstract.?A new species of Nicella, N. toeplitzae, is described from
specimens collected from the western Atlantic Ocean, including the northern
and eastern Gulf of Mexico. It is distinguished from other closely related
species of this genus in having prominent, conical tubercles on the double
head sclerites that measure up to 17 mm in height. Among the species having
rotund body wall rods, it is distinguished by having double heads with
a relatively thick waist.
The calcaxonian genus Nicella (family
Ellisellidae) is circumtropical in moderate
depths (mostly below 50 m). The genus is
characterized by having flabellate colo-
nies, usually branching that is sympodial
(though occasionally lateral, and mostly
free), and with branches that rarely
anastomose (Bayer 1961; Bayer &
Grasshoff 1994). Colonies are planar,
though commonly made irregular by
out-of-place lateral branches (Fabricius
& Alderslade 2001). The branches are
mostly circular in cross section and rarely
somewhat flattened (Deichmann 1936).
Calyces are arranged along the branches
irregularly or in biserial rows (Grasshoff
1999). Sclerites consist of a surface layer
of very small, blunt double heads that is
clearly distinct from a thick inner layer
with large flat tuberculate sclerites
(Grasshoff & Bargibant 2001). The tu-
bercles on the flat sclerites are different
from those usually present in gorgonian
sclerites, being smoothly rounded eleva-
tions instead of the more common high
elevations on a narrower waist (Grasshoff
1999). The axis is heavily calcified in
a radial pattern, and the core is calcified
and not chambered (Bayer 1961). The
clear differentiation of the large, flat inner
layer sclerites from the predominant
surface layer of double heads, along with
planar flabellate colony morphology,
distinguishes Nicella from other ellisellid
genera (Bayer & Grasshoff 1994). West-
ern Atlantic species of Nicella, along with
the closely related ellisellid genus Riisea,
have been recently revised by Cairns (in
press ;). Several specimens of Nicella were
collected from the northern Gulf of
Mexico at depths of 60?110 m during
a characterization study of biological
communities associated with the ??Pinna-
cle Trend?? area on the Mississippi/Ala-
bama continental shelf (Continental Shelf
Associates, Inc. & Texas A&M Universi-
ty, Geochemical and Environmental Re-
search Group 2001). These included the
common Nicella guadalupensis and a type
slightly smaller in colony size and branch
diameter, and of a slightly darker orange
color than N. guadalupensis. Colonies of
both were photographed in situ and
collected during the program?s surveys
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* Corresponding author.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
120(2):228?232. 2007.
using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
A careful examination of the latter type
revealed differences in body wall sclerites
from its congener, N. guadalupensis.
Materials and Methods
This study is based on an examination
of material collected from 15 deep-water
stations. These specimens are now de-
posited at the National Museum of
Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
(USNM). The terminology used in the
description follows Bayer, Grasshoff, &
Verseveldt (1983). Scanning electron mi-
croscopical (SEM) photomicrographs
were taken by S. D. Cairns and Frederick
M. Bayer. SEM stub numbers prefaced
with a B pertain to the numbered series of
F. M. Bayer.
The following abbreviations are used:
Vessels: Alb-U.S. Fish Commission
Steamer Albatross; G-R/V Gerda; JSL-I-
Johnson Sea-Link I; MAPTEMP-Missis-
sippi/Alabama Pinnacle Trend Ecosystem
Monitoring Program (a U.S. Minerals
Management Service [MMS]/U.S. Geo-
logical Survey [USGS] program); O-M/V,
R/V Oregon and R/V Oregon II; P-R/V
Pillsbury; SOFLA-Southwest Florida
Shelf Ecosystem Study (a Bureau of Land
Management [BLM]/MMS program).
Other abbreviations: DH-double head;
L:W-ratio of maximum length to maxi-
mum width of a sclerite (used as a basic
measure of sclerite shape); SEM-scanning
electron microscope stub number;
USNM-National Museum of Natural
History, Smithsonian Institution.
Systematic Description
Subclass Octocorallia
Order Gorgonacea
Suborder Calcaxonia
Family Ellisellidae Gray, 1860
Genus Nicella Gray, 1870
Nicella toeplitzae, new species
Figs. 1, 2
Nicella goreaui Bayer, 1973:290 (in part:
USNM 53109).
Nicella sp. A Cairns, 2007:11, figs. 1G,
13, Tables 1, 2.
Material examined.?Holotype: P-424,
9u379N, 78u51.59W, 110?119 m, 19 Jul
1966, colony and SEM scan stub B51,
USNM 53042. Paratypes: Alb-2354,
20u599300N, 86u239450W, depth 238 m,
22 Jan 1885, dry branches, USNM 43025,
alcohol branches, USNM 75113; Calypso
1805, 20u489S, 37u369W, depth 300 m,
date unknown, 1 colony, SEM scan stub
B5, USNM 53109; G-692, 26u349N,
78u259W, 329?421 m, 21 Jul 1965, 1
colony, USNM 53044; JSL-I-2582,
27u55.299N, 91u29.049W, 188 m, 4 Sep
1989, 1 colony, USNM 89389; O-3608,
12u289N, 82u289W, 210 m, 2 Jun 1962, 1
colony and SEM scan stub B11, USNM
53043; O-3795, 28u05.59N, 92u389W, 88?
98 m, 14 Sep 1962, 1 colony, SEM scan
stub B15, USNM 53027; O-5641,
11u389N, 69u279W, 55 m, 1 Oct 1965, 1
colony, USNM 53078; P-424, 9u379N,
78u51.59W, 110?119 m, 19 Jul 1966,
5 colonies, USNM 1086749; P-736,
10u579N, 65u529W, 70?86 m, 22 Jul
1968, 1 colony and scan stub B21, USNM
53041; P-854, 12u029N, 61u369W, 66?
84 m, 3 Jul 1969, 2 dry colonies, USNM
53507; SOFLA 35, 25u449N, 84u219W,
159 m, 7 Feb 1982, 2 colonies, USNM
74841 and 74842. Non-types: P-745,
11u589N, 66u509W, 65 m, 24 Jul 1968, 1
colony, USNM 53233; MAPTEMP, Site
1, 29u26919.1310N, 87u34927.2730W, 66 m,
24 Aug 1998, 1 colony, USNM 1096689;
MAPTEMP, Site 8, 29u23913.55.50N,
88u1994.70W, 93 m, 4 Aug 1999, 1 colony,
USNM 1096690; MAPTEMP, Site 9,
29u14919.4990N, 88u19936.8590W, 92 m,
6 Aug 1999, 1 colony, USNM 1096691.
Type locality.?P-424: 9u379N, 78u
51.59W (Gulf of San Blas, Panama),
110?119 m.
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VOLUME 120, NUMBER 2 229
Description.?Colonies are uniplanar,
the holotype, 19 cm in height and 12 cm
broad, with a broken basal stem 2.2 mm
in diameter. A representative paratype
(MAPTEMP 8) is shown in Fig. 1. Only
one colony retained its attachment (O-
3608), which consisted of a white calcar-
eous holdfast. Colonies are primarily light
orange (amber) to light red, the sclerites
of the coenenchyme and lower third of
each calyx containing colored sclerites,
the sclerites of the distal two-thirds of
each calyx being clear resulting in a white
calyx. Longitudinal solenial canals are
not apparent exteriorly as on other
species of Nicella with white colonies
(e.g., Nicella obesa).
Calyces occur in opposite, alternating
fashion on both edges of every branch.
They are mound-shaped or cylindrical,
depending on preservation history, any
rarely more than 0.7 mm in diameter.
The calyx body wall consists predom-
inantly (65?75%) of girdled spindles 0.16?
0.26 mm in length and have a L:W of 5.0?
7.4 (Fig. 2A). They are sparsely covered
with low tubercles about 8 mm in di-
ameter and only about 5 mm in height.
Double heads also occur in the calyx wall,
composing 20?30% of the sclerites and
measuring 65?100 mm in length, with
a L:W of 1.4?1.9 (Fig. 2F). Their waists
are thick (50% of sclerite thickness) and
0?9 mm in length, the short-waisted ones
resembling double stars. Regardless, all
double heads have quite tall, conical,
sometimes bifid tubercles 13?17 mm in
height. About 5% of the calyx wall
sclerites are girdled clubs ranging from
0.13?0.18 mm in length (Fig. 2B). The
rachis of each tentacle is composed of
short, blunt, girdled rods 78?115 mm in
length and has a L:W of 3.7?3.8 (Fig. 2E).
They are very sparsely covered with small
tubercles about 5 mm in diameter and
3 mm in height. The pinnular sclerites are
typical for the genus: small, elongate,
laterally tuberculate plates 45?54 mm in
length (Fig. 2C). Pharyngeal sclerites are
also typical in shape for the genus (spiny
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Fig. 1. Paratype (USNM 1096691) of Nicella toeplitzae with ophiuroid Astroporpa annulata, collected
from the northcentral Gulf of Mexico (MAPTEMP, Site 9). Scale bar 5 1 cm.
230 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington pbsw-120-02-11.3d 19/6/07 12:43:57 231 Cust# 06-45
Fig. 2. A?F, Sclerites of Nicella toeplitzae (all but two sclerites are from the holotype; those labelled with
a p are from O-3608): A, five spindles; B, three clubs; C, two pinnular plates; D, two pharyngeal sclerites; E,
two tentacular rods; F, six double heads. Scale bars: A, B 5 50 mm; C, D 5 20 mm; E, F 5 25 mm.
VOLUME 120, NUMBER 2 231
double stars) and are 49?56 mm in length
(Fig. 2D). The sclerites of the coenench-
yme, all of which are colored, consist of
60?80% double heads, 20?40% girdled
spindles, and about 5% girdled clubs, all
of the same dimensions as described for
the calyx wall.
Comparisons.?Nicella toeplitzae is dis-
tinctive in having prominent, conical
tubercles on its double heads measuring
up to 17 mm in height. Among the species
having rotund body wall rods, it is
characterized by having double heads
with a relatively thick waist [see Cairns
(2007), Table 2].
Etymology.?This species is named in
honor of Charlotte Toeplitz, the most
exhaustive monographer of this genus to
date (Toeplitz 1929).
Distribution.?Perimeter of Caribbean
from Nicaragua to Dominican Republic,
Bahamas; northern and eastern Gulf of
Mexico [Cairns (2007), fig. 13]; and one
disjunct record off Vito?ria Seamount, off
Esp??ritu Santo, Brazil from Calypso 1805;
55?329 m.
Acknowledgments
Specimens from the north central Gulf
of Mexico were collected during a study
program contracted by the U.S. Depart-
ment of the Interior, Minerals Manage-
ment Service (MMS) and U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS) Biological Resources Di-
vision to Continental Shelf Associates, Inc.
(OCS Study MMS 2001-080/USGS Con-
tract 1445-CT09-96-0006). Figures 1 and 2
were prepared by Timothy E. Coffer
(National Museum of Natural History).
The photograph for Figure 1 was taken by
David B. Snyder (CSA International, Inc.).
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Associate Editor: Stephen L. Gardiner
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232 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
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