A new genus of a soft coral of the family Xeniidae (Cnidaria: Octocorallia) from Japan

Abstract

A survey of octocorals belonging to the family Xeniidae collected from the coral reefs of the Ryukyu Archipelago (Japan) revealed colonies with distinct sclerites whose microstructure justifies the establishment of a new genus, Yamazatum. A new species, Y. iubatum has been assigned to it and is described and depicted. Its features include unique sclerites with previously undocumented surface architecture, comprising of one or several crests and occasionally one or several furrows, differentiating it from all known species of the family Xeniidae.