The order Zoantharia Rafinesque, 1815 (Cnidaria, Anthozoa: Hexacorallia): supraspecific classification and nomenclature

Abstract

Many supraspecific zoantharian names have long and complicated histories. The present list is provided to advise researchers on the current state of supraspecific nomenclature of the zoantharians, particularly given the recent attention paid to the taxonomy, phylogeny, and biodiversity of this order. At the same time, several taxonomic issues brought to light by recent research are resolved. Details on the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of most groups are provided, along with appendices of invalid supraspecific names.

Exploring the Biodiversity of Understudied Benthic Taxa at Mesophotic and Deeper Depths: Examples From the Order Zoantharia (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia)

“…Additionally, specimens MISE-MZ1 and MISE-MZ3 represent a potentially undescribed genus associated with glass sponges. Currently, the only formally described glass sponge-associated species belong to family Epizoanthidae (genera Epizoanthus, Thoracactis) or to genus Isozoanthus within Parazoanthidae (Carlgren, 1923;Low et al, 2016). The current specimens clearly belong within Parazoanthidae in the phylogenetic analyses, and thus may be an undescribed species from either Isozoanthus or an undescribed genus-level clade within Parazoanthidae.…”

“…Specimens were initially identified to family or genus-level (when possible) based on their epizoic associations and external characters, following Low et al (2016) and relevant literature therein. Final identification of specimens to genus/species-level was based on molecular barcodes and phylogenetic results as detailed below.…”

Ecdysonelactones, Ecdysteroids from the Tropical Eastern Pacific Zoantharian Antipathozoanthus hickmani

“…A second species, commonly found in this area, was identified as Antipathozoanthus hickmani . The genus Antipathozoanthus belongs to the family Parazoanthidae and is composed by only two species so far: A. macaronesicus and A. hickmani , which are only found to be associated with black corals [ 21 , 22 ]. Antipathozoanthus hickmani was first recorded in the Tropical Eastern Pacific around the Galapagos Islands and later in Machalilla National Park, Ecuador, where this species was found as an epibiont of the antipatharian Antiphates galapagensis [ 17 , 19 ].…”

Three new species and the molecular phylogeny of Antipathozoanthus from the Indo-Pacific Ocean (Anthozoa, Hexacorallia, Zoantharia)

“…Zoantharians within suborder Macrocnemina are distributed worldwide, and are usually found in associations with other invertebrates. Within Macrocnemina, the largest family is Parazoanthidae Delage & Hérouard, 1901, which currently contains 13 genera (Low et al 2016). Most species of these genera live in association with other marine invertebrates, including antipatharians (Ocaña and Brito 2003; Sinniger et al 2010), octocorals (Reimer et al 2008; Bo et al 2012; Sinniger et al 2013), and sponges (Haddon and Shackleton 1891; Swain and Wulff 2007; Montenegro et al 2015, 2016).…”