Abstract
The species of the widespread gorgoniid genus Leptogorgia, which occur along the eastern Pacific, are taxonomically revised based on original type material of all species described until now and reference specimens from recent surveys and expeditions along the Pacific coast of Panama, and Costa Rica. As a result, 21 species are recognized as valid and one as dubious. Lectotypes are assigned for eight species in order to establish their taxonomic status. All the species are described and illustrated. The fauna herein reported does not represent overall diversity or geographical range of each species but adds new reports. The present count is 16 species for Panama, 11 for Costa Rica, 7 for Mexico, 6 for El Salvador, 4 for Peru, 4 for Ecuador, 3 for Colombia, 2 for California, 2 for Nicaragua, and 2 for Chile.
References
Bayer, F.M. (1951) A revision of the nomenclature of the Gorgoniidae (Coelenterata: Octocorallia) with an illustrated key to the genera. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, 41, 91–102.
Bayer, F.M. (1956) Octocorallia. In Moore, R.C. (Ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, part F, Coelenterata. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, Kansas, 167–231.
Bayer, F.M. (1961) The shallow water Octocorallia of the West Indian Region. A manual for marine biologists. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, 400 pp.
Bayer, F.M. (2000) A new species of Leptogorgia from the eastern Pacific (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Holaxonia). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 113, 609–616.
Bayer, F.M., Grasshoff, M., & Verseveldt J. (1983) Illustrated trilingual glossary of morphological terms applied to Octocorallia. E.J. Brill, Leiden, 74 pp.
Breedy, O. (2001) A new species of Pacifigorgia from the eastern Pacific (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae). Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, 10, 181–187.
Breedy, O. & Guzman, H.M. (2002) A Revision of the genus Pacifigorgia (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 115, 787–844.
Breedy, O. & Guzman, H.M. (2003a) A new species of Pacifigorgia (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) from Panama. Zootaxa, 128, 1–10.
Breedy, O. & Guzman, H.M. (2003b) Octocorals from Costa Rica. The genus Pacifigorgia (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae). Zootaxa, 281, 1–60.
Breedy, O & Guzman, H.M. (2004) New species of the gorgoniian genus Pacifigorgia (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) from the Pacific of Panama. Zootaxa, 541, 1–15.
Breedy, O. & Guzman, H.M. (2005a) A new species of Leptogorgia (Coelenterata: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) from the shallow waters of the eastern Pacific. Zootaxa, 899, 1–11.
Breedy, O. & Guzman, H.M. (2005b) A new species of alcyonacean octocoral from the Galapagos Archipelago. Journal of the Marine Biological Association, U.K., 85, 801–807.
Bielschowsky, E. (1918) Eine Revision der Familie Gorgoniidae. Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Hohen Philisophischen Facultät der Schlesischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Breslau. Buchdruckerei H. Fleischmann, Breslau, 66 pp.
Bielschowsky, E. (1929) Die Gorgonarien Westindien. 6. Die Familie Gorgoniidae, zugleich eine Revision. Zoologische Jahrbücher, Supplement 16, 63–234.
Duchassaing, P. & Michelotti, J. (1864) Supplément au mémoire sur les coralliaires des Antilles. Extrait des mémoires de l’Académie des Sciences de Turin, Series 2, 23, 1–112.
Ehrenberg, C.G. (1834) Beiträge zur physiologischen Kenntniss der Corallenthiere im allgemeinen, und besonders des rothen Meeres, nebst einem Versuche zur physiologischen Systemat ik derselben. Abhandlungen Königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. Aus dem Jahre 1832. Erster Theil, 225–380.
Grassfoff, M. (1988) The genus Leptogorgia (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) in West Africa. Atlantide Report, 14, 91–147.
Grasshoff, M. (1992) Die Flachwasser-Gorgonarien von Europa und Westafrika (Cnidaria, Anthozoa). Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 149, 1–135.
Harden, D.G. (1979) Intuitive and Numerical classification of east Pacific Gorgonacea (Octocorallia). PhD thesis, Illinois State University, USA. Unpublished.
Hickson, S.J. (1904) The Alcyonaria of the Cape of Good Hope. Part II. Marine Investigations in South Africa, 3, 211– 239.
Hickson, S.J. (1928) The Gorgonacea of Panama Bay together with a description of one species from the Galapágos Islands and one of Trinidad. Videnskavelige Meddelelser fra den naturhistoriske Forening i Kovenhavn for Aarene, 85, 325–422.
Horn, G.H. (1860) Descriptions of three new species of Gorgonidae, in the collection of the Academy. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 12, 233.
International Commision on Zoological Nomenclature (1999) International code of zoological nomenclature, fourth edition. The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature. The Natural History Museum, London, 306 pp.
Kükenthal, W. (1919) Gorgonaria. Wissensschaft liche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsle-Expedition auf dem Dampfer “Valdivia”, 1898–1899, 13(2), 1–946.
Kükenthal, W. (1924) Gorgonaria. Das Tierreich, 47. Walter de Gruyter and Co., Berlin und Leipzig, 478 pp.
Lamouroux, J.V.F. (1812) Extrait d’un mémoire sur la classification des Polypiers coralligènes non entièrement pierreux. Nouveau Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société Philomatique, Paris, 63, 181–188.
Milne Edwards, H. & Haime, J. (1857) Histoire naturelle des coralliaires ou polypes proprement dits, Vol. 1 pp. I–xxxiv + 1–326, 8 plates, numbered A1–6, B1–2. Paris, à la Libraire Encyclopédique de Roret.
Nutting, C.C. (1909) Alcyonaria of the Californian coast. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 35, 681– 727.
Nutting, C.C. (1910) The Gorgonacea of the Siboga Expedition. VII. The Gorgoniidae. Siboga-Expeditie Monograph Livr, 54, 1–11.
Pallas, P.S. (1766) Elenchus zoophytorum systems generum adumbrations generaliores et specierum cognitarum succinactas descriptions cum selectis auctorum synonymis, Hagae Comitum, 451 pp.
Philippi, R.A. (1866) Kurze Beschreibung einiger chilenischen Zoophyten. Arch. Naturgesch. 32, 118–120.
Philippi, R.A. (1892) Los zoofitos Chilenos del Musco Nacional. Anales Museo Nacional de Chile, Primera Sección (Zool), 5, 1–11.
Prahl, H. von, Escobar, D., & Molina, G. (1986) Octocorales (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae y Plexauridae) de aguas someras del Pacífico Colombiano. Revista de Biología Tropical, 34, 13–33.
Rees, J.T. (1972) The effect of current on growth form in an octocoral. Journal of experimental marine Biology and Ecology, 10, 115–123.
Rossi, L. (1956) Catalogo dei tipi di Gorgonarii esistenti nel Museo Zoologico di Torino. Bollettino di Museo di Zoologia della Universita di Torino, 5, 193–199.
Stiasny, G (1936) Gorgonaria von Cap Blanco, (Westafrika, Mauretanien). Capita Zoologica, 8, 1–44.
Stiasny, G. (1937) Gorgonaria von Cap Blanco, gesammelt durch Dr. Théodore Monod. Temminckia, 2, 297–316.
Stiasny, G. (1939) Gorgonaria von Cap Blanco, Senegal und Rio d'Ouro. (Aus dem Zoologischen Museum, Amsterdam). Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines, Tervuren 32, 285–322.
Stiasny, G. (1941) Studien uber Alcyonaria und Gorgonaria I–V. (Parerga und Paralipomena). Zoologische Anzeiger, 133, 268–271.
Stiasny, G. (1943) Gorgonaria von Panama. Aus der Sammlung Dr. Th. Mortensen, Zoologisk Museum, Kopenhagen. Videnskavelige Meddelelser fra den naturhistoriske Forening i Kovenhavn for Aarene, 107, 59–103.
Stiasny, G. (1951) Alcyonides et Gorgonides des collections du Muséum National d’Histoire naturelle. (II). Mémoires du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle (Nouvelle Série), Zoologie A, 3, 1–80.
Valenciennes, A. (1846) Zoophytes. In: Dupetit-Thouars, A. (Ed.) Voyage autour du monde sur la frégate la Vénus, pendant les années 1836–1839. Atlas de Zoologie. Publié par ordre Du Roi, Paris, plates 1–15.
Valenciennes, A. (1855) Extrait d’une monographie de la famille des Gorgonidées de la classe des polypes. Comptes Rendus Académie des Sciences de Paris, 41, 7–15.
Velimirov, B. (1976) Variations in growth forms of Eunicella cavolinii Koch (Octocorallia) related to intensity of water movement. Journal of experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 21, 109–117.
Verrill, A.E. (1863) Revision of the polypi of the eastern coast of the United States. Memoires of the Boston Society of Natural History, 1, 1–45.
Verrill, A.E. (1864) List of the polyps and corals sent by the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy to other institutions in exchange, with annotations. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, 1, 29–60.
Verrill, A.E. (1865) Synopsis of the polyps and corals of the North Pacific Exploring Expedition, under Commodore C. Ringgold and Captain John Rodgers, U.S.N., from 1853 to 1856. Collected by Dr. Wm. Stimpson, naturalist to the Expedition. With description of some additional species .from the West coast of North America. Proceedings of the Essex Institute Salem, 4, 181–196.
Verrill, A.E. (1866) On the polyps and corals from Panama with descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, 10, 323–357.
Verrill, A.E. (1868) Critical remarks on the halcyonoid polyps in the Museum of Yale College, with descriptions of new genera. The American Journal of Science and Arts, 45, 411–415.
Verrill, A.E. (1868a) (unsighted) Notes on Radiata in the Museum of Yale College, Number 6: Review of the corals and polyps of the West Coast of America. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, (First Edition), 1, 377–422.
Verrill, A.E. (1868b) Notes on Radiata in the Museum of Yale College, Number 6: Review of the corals and polyps of the West Coast of America. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, (Second Edition), 377–422.
Verrill, A.E. (1869a) Notes on Radiata in the Museum of Yale College, Number 6: Review of the corals and polyps of the West Coast of America. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, (Second Edition), 423–502.
Verrill, A.E. (1869b) Critical remarks on the halcyonoid polyps with description of new species in the Museum of Yale College. The American Journal of Science and Arts, Series 2, 48, 419–429.
Verrill, A.E. (1870) Notes on Radiata in the Museum of Yale College, Number 6: Review of the corals and polyps of the West Coast of America. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, (Second Edition), 1, 519– 558.
West, J.M., Harvell C.D. & Walls A.M. (1993) Morphological plasticity in a gorgonian coral (Briareum asbestinum) over a deep cline. Marine Ecolcoloy Progress Series, 94, 61–69.
Williams, G.C. (1992) The Alcyonacea of southern Africa. Gorgonian octocorals (Coelenterata, Anthozoa). Annals of the South African Museum, 101, 181–296.
Williams, G. & Breedy, O. (2004) The Panamic Genus Pacifigorgia (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) in the Galapagos Archipelago. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 55, 54–87.
Williams, G.C., & Lindo, K.G. (1997) A review of the octocorallian genus Leptogorgia (Anthozoa: Gorgoniidae) in the Indian Ocean and Subantarctic, with description of a new species and comparisons with related taxa. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 49, 499–521.
Williams, G.C. & Vennan, J.S. (2001) A revision of the Indo-West Pacific taxa of the gorgonian genus Pseudopterogorgia (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae), with the description of a new species from western India. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, 10, 71–95.