Gemeinfreies Foto / Public Domain
Info
Sibogagorgia cauliflora is a deep-water gorgonian that has been discovered at great and cold depths during ROV dives from Derickson Seamount, Alaska and on Davidson Seamount off California on the west coast of America.
Very interestingly, the deep-water gorgonian has also been found in the western Atlantic, from the Florida Straits between Florida and Cuba.
Thus, the coral is known from both coasts of the Americas, suggesting that Sibogagorgia cauliflora may be a circumglobal species.
The discovered cold water coral had the remarkable height of 150cm and width of 120cm.
Externally, Sibogagorgia cauliflora resembles the gorgonian Sibogagorgia dennisgordoni with branching in a plane.
However, Sibogagorgia cauliflora and Sibogagorgia dennisgordoni have distinctly different ray-shaped sclerites and their DNA sequences are also very different.
Etymology: the species name "cauliflora" is the Latin word for cauliflower (Brassica oleracea).
The name was chosen because the superficial, radiating sclerites of this new species morphologically resemble this vegetable.
Very interestingly, the deep-water gorgonian has also been found in the western Atlantic, from the Florida Straits between Florida and Cuba.
Thus, the coral is known from both coasts of the Americas, suggesting that Sibogagorgia cauliflora may be a circumglobal species.
The discovered cold water coral had the remarkable height of 150cm and width of 120cm.
Externally, Sibogagorgia cauliflora resembles the gorgonian Sibogagorgia dennisgordoni with branching in a plane.
However, Sibogagorgia cauliflora and Sibogagorgia dennisgordoni have distinctly different ray-shaped sclerites and their DNA sequences are also very different.
Etymology: the species name "cauliflora" is the Latin word for cauliflower (Brassica oleracea).
The name was chosen because the superficial, radiating sclerites of this new species morphologically resemble this vegetable.
