Ashleigh Miller, Australien
Info
Latissimia opalia is a small colony-forming soft coral that is endemic to the east coast of Australia, where it is found in rock pools and on reef surfaces.
The living colonies are blue/brown in color, and closer inspection of the polyps and tentacles reveals the characteristic opalescent blue coloration of the sclerites.
At low tide, the polyps contract under direct sunlight to form an almost complete barrier that blocks the sunlight and gives the colonies their blue color, revealing the creamy brown color of the underlying tissue between the sclerites.
The sclerites are elliptical plates consisting of calcite rods, the tips of which give the sclerite surface a uniform grainy appearance.
The holotype (a single polyp) measures 3 x 2.3 cm and is 0.8 cm high.
The colonial polyps, which are attached to a 3 mm thick, spreading membrane, grow up to 1.1 cm long, with most being around this size and a few only 0.22 cm long.
The total size of the colonies is not mentioned in the original description. We have contacted the photographer, Ashleigh Miller, Australia, to find out the size and will be happy to add this information.
Sister species:
The sister species Latissimia ningalooensis occurs only on the west coast of Australia, especially in the in the eponymous Ningaloo Reef.
Etymology
The genus name “Latissimia” (gender: female) is derived from the Latin word “latissime,” which means “widely distributed.”
Here it refers to the widespread distribution of this genus on various reefs in eastern and western Australia, although it is also invasive in the western Atlantic (Brazil).
Etymology
The species name “opalia” is derived from the Latin word “opalus” and refers to the opal blue color of the living colonies.
We would like to thank Ashleigh Miller, Australia, who kindly allowed us to use her photo immediately.
The living colonies are blue/brown in color, and closer inspection of the polyps and tentacles reveals the characteristic opalescent blue coloration of the sclerites.
At low tide, the polyps contract under direct sunlight to form an almost complete barrier that blocks the sunlight and gives the colonies their blue color, revealing the creamy brown color of the underlying tissue between the sclerites.
The sclerites are elliptical plates consisting of calcite rods, the tips of which give the sclerite surface a uniform grainy appearance.
The holotype (a single polyp) measures 3 x 2.3 cm and is 0.8 cm high.
The colonial polyps, which are attached to a 3 mm thick, spreading membrane, grow up to 1.1 cm long, with most being around this size and a few only 0.22 cm long.
The total size of the colonies is not mentioned in the original description. We have contacted the photographer, Ashleigh Miller, Australia, to find out the size and will be happy to add this information.
Sister species:
The sister species Latissimia ningalooensis occurs only on the west coast of Australia, especially in the in the eponymous Ningaloo Reef.
Etymology
The genus name “Latissimia” (gender: female) is derived from the Latin word “latissime,” which means “widely distributed.”
Here it refers to the widespread distribution of this genus on various reefs in eastern and western Australia, although it is also invasive in the western Atlantic (Brazil).
Etymology
The species name “opalia” is derived from the Latin word “opalus” and refers to the opal blue color of the living colonies.
We would like to thank Ashleigh Miller, Australia, who kindly allowed us to use her photo immediately.
