First record of Anthothela grandiflora (Sars, 1856) (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Anthothelidae) from Brazil

Abstract

The present work deals with the first record of the subfamily Anthothelinae (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea, Anthothelidae) in Brazilian waters, with specimens from the continental slope in Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro State (22°12’48”S, 039°52’13”W - 22°15’42”S, 039°53’13”W - 1,059m deep) and off Rio Grande do Sul State (34°19’27”S, 051°34’20”W - 882m deep). Macro- and microanatomic characteristics of the Brazilian specimens were analysed and compared with data from the available literature on the subfamily. The specimens were identified as Anthothela grandiflora (Sars, 1856), and earlier recorded in the Artic, east cost of North America, Portugal, the islands of Azores, Madeira, and Cape Verde, the latter being considered the southernmost record for the species. The present paper extends the distribution of the species in more than 4,700km to the south.