Pseudocoutierea antillensis Chace 1972

Pseudocoutierea antillensis Chace, 1972

(Fig. 70, video 17)

Pseudocoutierea antillensis Chace, 1972: 43 (Saba Bank); Criales 1980: 72 (Curaçao); Olthof et al. 2018: 538 (Curaçao).

Material examined. Curaçao: ZMA. CRUS.D.103.525: 7 specimens; Jan Thiel, 14.xi.1975, depth ca. 30 m, on Eunicea cf. clavigera, collected by J.H. Stock. ZMA. CRUS.D.103.524: many specimens, Piscadera, Boei 2, 14.xi.1975, depth ca. 15 m, on Plexaura cf. nina, collected by J.H. Stock. RMNH. CRUS.D.51631: 1 non-ovigerous female, pocl. 1.3 mm; stn CUR.01, south coast, Carmabi Reef/Hilton Pier, 12°16′19.2″N 068°58′09.0″W, 02.v.2005, depth 12.9 m, scuba diving, on P. porosa (fcn. F108), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g039). RMNH. CRUS.D.58267: 1 specimes; stn CUR.01, south coast, Carmabi Reef/Hilton Pier, 12°16′19.2″N 068°58′09.0″W, 26.iv.2005, depth 15.6 m, scuba diving, on Antillogorgia sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g003). RMNH. CRUS.D.51633: 1 non-ovigerous female, pocl. 1.1 mm; stn CUR.02, south coast, Atlantis diving/Drielstraat, 12°05′42.1″N 068°54′43.0″W, 10.vi.2005, depth 10.5 m, scuba diving, P. dichotoma (fcn. F409), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g116). RMNH. CRUS.D.58268: 1 specimen; stn CUR.02, south coast, Atlantis diving/Drielstraat, 12°05′42.1″N 068°54′43.0″W, 10.vi.2005, depth 21.7 m, scuba diving, on P. porosa forma porosa (Houttuyn, 1772) (fcn. F408), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g115). RMNH. CRUS.D.51626: 3 specimens; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 28.iv.2005, depth 12 m, scuba diving, on A. bipinnata (fcn. F044), collected by B. T. Reijnen (fcn. g026). RMNH. CRUS.D.51651: 1 male, pocl. 1.4 mm; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 16.vi.2005, depth 11.5 m, scuba diving, on A. americana (fcn. F421), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g120). RMNH. CRUS.D.58269: 6 specimens; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 27.iv.2005, depth 16 m, scuba diving, on Antillogorgia sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g027). RMNH. CRUS. D.58270: 1 specimen; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 08.v.2005, depth 24.4 m, scuba diving, on Pseudoplexaura sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g053). RMNH. CRUS.D.58271: 1 specimen; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 08.v.2005, depth 14.3 m, scuba diving, on Eunicea sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g054). RMNH. CRUS.D.58272: 1 specimen; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 13.v.2005, depth 7.5 m, scuba diving, on Eunicea succinea forma succinea (Pallas, 1766) (fcn. F203), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g069). RMNH. CRUS.D.58273: 1 specimen; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 13.v.2005, depth 8.5 m, scuba diving, on E. tourneforti forma tourneforti (fcn. F195), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g070). RMNH. CRUS.D.58274: 2 specimens; stn CUR.03, south coast, Hilton Reef, 12°07′19.5″N 068°58′07.8″W, 16.vi.2005, depth 6.8 m, scuba diving, on E. flexuosa (fcn. F420), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g122). RMNH. CRUS.D.51629: 1 male, pocl. 1.2 mm; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 29.iv.2005, depth 31 m, scuba diving, on A. americana (fcn. F045), collected by F. R. Stokvis (fcn. g029). RMNH. CRUS.D.51630: 1 ovigerous female, pocl. 1.4 mm; 1 non-ovigerous female, pocl. 1.3 mm; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 29.iv.2005, depth 13.2 m, scuba diving, on E. flexuosa (fcn. F048), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g030). RMNH. CRUS.D.58275: 1 specimen; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 11.v.2005, depth 15.8 m, scuba diving, on A. bipinnata (fcn. F193), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g066). RMNH. CRUS.D.58276: 1 specimen; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 03.v.2005, depth 26 m, scuba diving, on Antillogorgia sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g046). RMNH. CRUS.D.58277: 1 specimen; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 03.v.2005, depth 13 m, scuba diving, on Antillogorgia sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g047). RMNH. CRUS.D.58278: 1 specimen; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 30.iv.2005, depth 12.6 m, scuba diving, on E. flexuosa (fcn. F059), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g035). RMNH. CRUS.D.58279: 1 ovigerous female; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 11.v.2005, depth 15.8 m, scuba diving, on A. bipinnata (fcn. F193), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g067). RMNH. CRUS.D.58280: 2 specimens; stn CUR.04, south coast, West Side Piscaderabaai, 12°07′21.4″N 068°58′10.5″W, 29.iv.2005, depth 11.6 m, on Antillogorgia sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g034). RMNH. CRUS. D.58281: 4 specimens; stn CUR.05, south coast, Marie Pampoen/Carpile, 12°05′42.1″N 068°54′43.0″W, depth 19.6 m, 09.v.2005, on A. bipinnata (fcn. F173), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g056). RMNH. CRUS.D.58282: 1 specimens; stn CUR.05, south coast, Marie Pampoen/Carpile, 12°05′42.1″N 068°54′43.0″W, 09.v.2005, depth 10.6 m, scuba diving, on Plexaura sp. a (fcn. F176), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g059a). RMNH. CRUS.D.58283: 1 specimen; stn CUR.06, south coast, Waterfabriek, 12°06′35.4″N 068°57′15.0″W, 26.v.2005, depth 18 m, scuba diving, on Pseudoplexaura sp., collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g088). RMNH. CRUS.D.58284: 1 specimen; stn CUR.06, south coast, Waterfabriek, 12°06′35.4″N 068°57′15.0″W, 02.v.2005, depth 17.5 m, on P. flagellosa (fcn. F104), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g038). RMNH. CRUS.D.51627: 1 specimen; stn CUR.07, south coast, Vaersenbaai, 12°09′38.3″N 069°08′17.2″W, 03.v.2005, depth 7.9 m, scuba diving, on Eunicea mammosa Lamouroux, 1816 (fcn. F120), collected by F. R. Stokvis (fcn. g049). RMNH. CRUS.D.58285: 5 specimens; stn CUR.08, south coast, Slangenbaai, 12°08′22.7″N 068°59′49.6″W, 18.vi.2005, depth 23 m, scuba diving, on E. mammosa (fcn. F125), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g129). RMNH. CRUS.D.51628: 1 ovigerous female, pocl. 1.4 mm; stn CUR.09, south coast, Jan Thiel/Diver′s Leap, 12°04′25.0″N 068°52′40.9″W, 23.v.2005, depth 16.3 m, scuba diving, on P. nina (fcn. F271), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g081a). RMNH. CRUS.D.58286: 8 specimens; stn CUR.09, south coast, Jan Thiel/ Diver’s Leap, 12°04′25.0″N 068°52′40.9″W, 23.v.2005, depth 13 m, scuba diving, on A. bipinnata (fcn. F275), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g082). RMNH. CRUS.D.58287: 1 specimen; stn CUR.11, west point, Playa Kalki, 12°22′29.8″N 069°09′27.7″W, 10.v.2005, depth 6.2 m, scuba diving, on Plexaura sp., N. Snijders (fcn. g061). RMNH. CRUS.D.58288: 1 ovigeorus female; stn CUR.11, west point, Playa Kalki, 12°22′29.8″N 069°09′27.7″W, 10.v.2005, depth 20 m, on Pseudoplexaura spec. a (fcn. F191), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g064). RMNH. CRUS. D.58289: 1 specimen; stn CUR.16, south coast, Fuikbaai, 12°03′01.6″N 068°50′05.2″W, 19.v.2005, depth 11.4 m, scuba diving, on Plexaura homomalla (Esper, 1794) (fcn. F255), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g075). RMNH. CRUS.D.58290: 1 specimen; stn CUR.17, south coast, Caracasbaai, 12°03′01.6″N 068°52′01.2″W, 23.v.2005, depth 16.8 m, scuba diving, on E. clavigera (fcn. F267), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g079). RMNH. CRUS.D.58291: 1 specimen; stn CUR.17, south coast, Caracasbaai, 12°03′01.6″N 068°52′01.2″W, 03.vi.2005, depth 16.5 m, scuba diving, on A. bipinnata (fcn. F363), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g102). RMNH. CRUS.D.58292: 2 specimens; stn CUR.18, south coast, Santa Martha, 12°16′04.9″N 069°07′43.6″W, 24.v.2005, depth 8 m, on Plexaura sp. a (fcn. F303), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g086). RMNH. CRUS.D.58293: 1 specimen; stn CUR.22, south coast, Superior Producer, 12°05′21.5″N 068°56′35.5″W, 02.vi.2005, depth 15.4 m, scuba diving, on Eunicea calyculata (Ellis & Solander, 1786) (fcn. F357), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g095). RMNH. CRUS.D.58294: 3 specimens; stn CUR.22, south coast, Superior Producer, 12°05′21.5″N 068°56′35.5″W, 02.vi.2005, depth 13.5 m, scuba diving, on Eunicea succinea (Pallas, 1766) (fcn. F354), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g092). RMNH. CRUS.D.51632: 2 specimens; stn CUR.22, south coast, Superior Producer, 12°05′21.5″N 068°56′35.5″W, 02.vi.2005, depth 14.2 m, scuba diving, E. calyculata (fcn. F358), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g096). RMNH. CRUS.D.58295: 2 specimens; stn CUR.23, south coast, Avila Beach, 12°05′53.7″N 068°55′06.7″W, 03.vi.2005, depth 8.2 m, scuba diving, on E. flexuosa (fcn. F385), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g101). RMNH. CRUS.D.51634: 1 male, pocl. 1.2 mm; stn CUR.31, east point, Awa di Oostpunt, 12°02′25.9″N 068°45′03.3″W, 18.vi.2005, depth 19.3 m, scuba diving, on Briareum asbestinum (Pallas, 1766), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g126). RMNH. CRUS.D.51635: ca. 25 specimens; stn CUR.31, east point, Awa di Oostpunt, 12°02′25.9″N 068°45′03.3″W, 18.vi.2005, depth 18.2 m, scuba diving, on P. flagellosa (fcn. F437), collected by N. Snijders (fcn. g127). RMNH. CRUS.D.58296: 1 specimen; stn COA.09, Slangenbaai, 12°08′23.00″N 68°59′49.90″W, 25.x.2013, depth 40 m, scuba diving, host unknown, collected by S.E. T. van der Meij. RMNH. CRUS.D.58297: 1 specimen; stn COA.17, Cas Abou, 12°13′40.30″N 69°05′30.40″W, 03.xi.2013, depth 27 m, scuba diving, on Antillogorgia sp., collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. RMNH. CRUS.D.58298: 2 specimens; stn COA.18, Playa Forti, 12°21′58.10″N 69°09′13.50″W, 01.xi.2013, depth 20 m, scuba diving, on Antillogorgia sp. (collected), collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. RMNH. CRUS.D.58399: 1 specimen, stn COA.22, Grote Knip, 12°21′04.10″N 69°09′06.90″W, 06.xi.2013, depth 20 m, scuba diving, on Pseudoplexaura sp. (collected), collected by B. T. Reijnen (photo COA.22 200–208). RMNH. CRUS.D.58300: 1 specimen; stn COA.22, Grote Knip, 12°21′04.10″N 69°09′06.90″W, 06.xi.2013, depth 8 m, scuba diving, on B. asbestinum, collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen (photo COA.22 209–222). RMNH. CRUS.D.58301: 2 specimens; stn COA.23, Playa Hundu, 12°16′05.80″N 69°07′42.20″W, 07.xi.2013, depth 45 m, scuba diving, on Pseudoplexaura sp., collected by B. T. Reijnen. RMNH. CRUS.D.58302: 1 male pocl. 1.3 mm, 1 ovigerous female pocl. 1.5 mm; stn CAR.14, Vaersenbaai, 12°09.678′N 68°00.237′W, 11.iv.2014, depth 20 m, scuba diving, on C. (C.) aculeata, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS. D.58303: 1 non-ovigerous female pocl. 1.2 mm; stn CAR.16, Slangebaai, 12°08.359′N 68°59.840′W, 14.iv.2014, depth 27 m, on N. erecta, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58304: 1 specimen; Santa Marta, 17.iv.2014, depth unknown, on A. cauliformis, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58306: 1 specimen; Redio City, 21.iv.2014, depth unknown, on N. erecta, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58305: 2 ovigerous females pocl. 1.7 mm; stn CAR.24, Diver’s leap, 12°04.439′N 68°52.714′W, 22.iv.2014, depth 23 m, on N. erecta, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58307: 2 non–ovigeous females pocl. 1.1–1.4 mm; stn CAR.26, Grote Knip, 12°21.087′N 69°09.095′W, 23.iv.2014, depth 26 m, on N. erecta, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58308: 1 ovigerous female pocl. 1.4 mm; 2 males, pocl. 1.3–1.4 mm; 1 non-ovigerous female pocl. 1.4 mm; stn CAR.29, Fuikbaai, 12°02.855′N 68°49.838′W, 25.iv.2014, depth 30 m, on A. cauliformis, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS. D.58309: 1 non-ovigerous female, pocl. 1.4 mm; stn CAR.29, Fuikbaai, 12°02.855′N 68°49.838′W, 25.iv.2014, depth 24 m, on C. (C.) aculeata, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58310: many specimens; stn CF10A-2, Slangenbaai, 10.vi.2017, depth 20 m, scuba diving, on soft coral, collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen (video 17). RMNH. CRUS.D.58311: 1 male, pocl. 1.4 mm; stn CF12B-1, Substation, 12.vi.2017, depth 20 m, scuba diving, on soft coral, collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. RMNH. CRUS.D.58312: 1 non ovigerous female, pocl. 1.1 mm; stn CF18A-1, Vaersenbaai, 18.vi.2017, depth 10 m, scuba diving, on soft coral, collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. OUMNH. ZC. 2019- 06-25: 5 females, pocl. 1.2–1.4 mm; Sun Reef, 12°8′21.12″N 68°59′53.1594″W, depth 7 m, 16.ii.2015, from Antillogorgia sp., leg. P. Wirtz & K. Wittman (fcn. 5). OUMNH. ZC. 2019-06-26: 1 female, pocl. 1.2 mm; Sun Reef, 12°8′21.12″N 68°59′53.1594″W, depth 25 m, 18.ii.2015, from Pseudoplexaura sp., leg. P. Wirtz & K. Wittman (fcn. 13). OUMNH. ZC. 2019-06-27: 4 females, pocl. 0.8–2.1 mm, Sun Reef, 12°8′21.12″N 68°59′53.1594″W, depth 40 m, 23.ii.2015, from Ellisella sp., leg. P. Wirtz & K. Wittman (fcn. 26). Bonaire: RMNH. CRUS.D.57935: 1 specimen; stn BON.16, Tailor Made, 12°13.407′N 068°24.223′W, 29.x.2019, depth 35 m, scuba diving, on wire Ellisella elongata (Pallas, 1766), collected by C.H. JM. Fransen. Stn BON.26, Small Wall, 12°10.685′N 068°17.539′W, 3.xi.2019, depth 40 m, scuba diving, on E. elongata, C.H.J.M. Fransen (video), not collected. RMNH. CRUS. D.57947: 1 specimen; stn BON.43, Tori’s Reef, 12°04.247′N, 068°16.835′W, 8.xi.2019, depth 8 m, scuba diving, on Pseudoplexaura sp., collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. Stn BON.44, Klein Bonaire, South Bay, 12°09.001′N 068°19.234′W, 8.xi.2019, depth 20 m, scube diving, on Plexaurella sp., C.H.J.M. Fransen (video 17), not collected.

Ecology. Associated with gorgonarians and alcyonarians: Eunicea tourneforti, E. calyculata, E. fusca Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860, and Plexaura sp. (Criales 1980); Leptogorgia virgulata (cf. Criales 1984); Antillogorgia americana (Spotte et al. 1995; Spotte & Bubucis 1996, as Pseudopterogorgia americana). The species has now been recorded for the first time from: Plexaura nina, P. homomalla, Pseudoplexaura porosa, P. flagellosa, Plexaurella dichotoma, Antillogorgia bipinnata, Eunicea succinea forma succinea (Pallas, 1766), E. flexuosa, E. mammosa, E. clavigera, and Briareum asbestinum. Recorded for the first time from Porifera: Callyspongia vaginalis, Niphates erecta, Aplysina cauliformis.

Distribution. Known from scattered locations in the tropical western Atlantic from the Saba Bank (Chace 1972); Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas (Lemaitre 1984); Cuba (Debelius 1999); Santa Marta, Columbia (Criales 1984); Islas del Rosario, Columbia (Corredor et al. 1979); Los Roques, Venezuela (Rodríguez 1986); British Virgin Islands (Spotte et al. 1995); Pine Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies (Spotte & Bubucis 1996). 1–13 m depth. Previous records from Curaçao by Criales (1980) and Olthof et al. (2018). Herein recorded for the first time from Bonaire.