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Nanozoanthus (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia: Nanozoanthidae) outside of tropical and subtropical waters

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Abstract

Two specimens of the zooxanthellate zoantharian Nanozoanthus aff. harenaceus Fujii and Reimer, 2013 are reported from Hakamagoshi, Kagoshima, Japan (31°35′N, 135°35′E). They represent the first record for the genus from temperate waters and from Japan outside of the Ryukyu Islands. The collected specimens, although clearly Nanozoanthus, differ in coloration, number of tentacles, and Symbiodinium density in the tentacles, from the only described species of the genus, N. harenaceus Fujii and Reimer, 2013, which is known only from Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. Additionally, acquired cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences from the two specimens were identical to previously reported sequences of Nanozoanthus sp. from western Australia. Based on these combined morphological and molecular results, the specimens were identified as an undescribed species, Nanozoanthus aff. harenaceus. This northward extension of Nanozoanthus’ range demonstrates that this genus is not limited to subtropical and tropical waters as has been previously reported. They may also be found in a wider range of environments than assumed, as all earlier records are from carbonate substrate in coral reef environments and not from volcanic rock as in the current report. Due to its very small polyp size and somewhat cryptic nature, Nanozoanthus may be more widely spread than has been thought, and future research should examine other temperate locations in the Indo-Pacific.

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Acknowledgments

Prof. Ryuta Terada (Kagoshima University) is thanked for his logistical support. The corresponding author was supported by the International Research Hub Project for Climate Change and Coral Reef/Island Dynamics at the University of the Ryukyus. This research was also supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS), ‘Project for sustainable management of coral reef and island ecosystems: responding to the threat of climate change’ in Palau, funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in cooperation with the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) and Palau Community College (PCC). This is contribution Palau-PCoRIE Biodiversity #5. Three anonymous reviewers’ comments helped improve this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    James Davis Reimer, Hiroki Kise & Doris Albinsky

  2. Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    James Davis Reimer

  3. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK

    Doris Albinsky

  4. Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-35 Korimoto, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan

    Daisuke Uyeno

  5. Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, 4-50-20 Shimoarata, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, 890-0056, Japan

    Midori Matsuoka

Authors
  1. James Davis Reimer
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  2. Hiroki Kise
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  3. Doris Albinsky
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  4. Daisuke Uyeno
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  5. Midori Matsuoka
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Correspondence to James Davis Reimer.

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Communicated by B. W. Hoeksema

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Reimer, J.D., Kise, H., Albinsky, D. et al. Nanozoanthus (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia: Nanozoanthidae) outside of tropical and subtropical waters. Mar Biodiv 47, 965–969 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0514-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0514-1

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