Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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"Flabellum gardineri Cairns, 1982

Gardineria lilliei; Gardiner, 1939, pp. 328, 329 (part: 40 specimens from Discovery sta. 160).

Description. Corallum ceratoid, straight, elongate. Pedicel diameter about 2.5 mm, expanding slightly at attachment to substrate. Holotype 8.9 x 8.3 mm in CD and 22.1 mm tall. Tallest specimen 30.5 mm. Theca dull white with thin, incised vertical striae, one corresponding to each septum. Calice round to elliptical.

Septa hexamerally arranged in four cycles. S1 and S2 equal in size and 3-4 times larger than S3 and S4, these about equal in size. Septa not exsert; larger septa bearing nondentate, shallow notch near calicular edge. Inner septal edges of Si and S2 straight and entire, fusing into a solid columella about one third to one half of distance to base. S3 and S4 very low in relief with irregular inner edges. Septal granules sparse, small, and pointed.

Discussion. Gardiner (1939) reported 40 specimens of Gardineria lilliei from four stations and implied that 4 environmentally controlled forms were present. Forty-nine specimens, deposited at the British Museum and the Museum of Comparative Zoology, have been examined from these stations, all bearing Gardiner's identification of G. lilliei; however, the 4 implied growth forms are in fact separate species belonging to two genera neither of which is Gardineria: Flabellum flexuosum (Discovery stations 140, 160 (part), 181, and 190); Flabellum gardineri (Discovery station 160 (part)); Flabellum sp. (Discovery station 160 (part)); and Caryophyllia eltaninae (Discovery station 160 (part)). The 2 specimens from Discovery station 160 referred to above as Flabellum sp. differ from Flabellum gardineri in having a wider pedicel, a more open calice, and a fifth cycle of septa; otherwise they are very similar and may represent a growth form. Flabellum sp. is also represented by Gardiner's (1929a) record of G. antarctica from Discovery station 152. More specimens are required before this problem can be solved. Flabellum gardineri most closely resembles Flabellum flexuosum but can be distinguished by its fewer septa, more massive columella, straight inner septal edges, noncorrugated septa, and smaller size.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of J. S. Gardiner, who contributed greatly to our know ledge of Scleractinia, including corals of the Subantarctic region. Material. Discovery sta. 160 (4), MCZ-3574.

Types. The holotype, collected at Discovery station 160, is deposited at the British Museum (1939.7.20.305). Thirty-three paratypes from Discovery station 160 (1939.7.20.288-304, 306-314) are deposited at the British Museum. Two specimens from this lot have been permanently deposited at the United States National Museum (48300). Type-locality: 53°43'40'S, 40°57'00"W (off Shag Rocks); 177 m.

Distribution. Known only from type-locality" Cairns 1982, p. 42, Plate 13, figs. 1-3.