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<p>In general, the Arctic marine benthic fauna is still poorly understood. Old and incomplete descriptions, the loss of historical specimens, recognized authorities defending opposing ideas, and sometimes the lack of reliable taxonomic characters and information on their potential variability can cast serious doubt on the degree of knowledge of a species, its distribution, importance in the ecosystem as a habitat former, and its own phylogenetic relationships. The octocoral sea pen <i>Virgularia glacialis</i> Kölliker, 1870 is a good example of this. This species was described by several authors in different years using the same binomials, reported as a rare Arctic species with morphological characters attributable to the virgulariid genus <i>Virgularia</i>. The collection of hundreds of colonies by some recent benthic survey programmes around Iceland has allowed us to revisit the status of this species, its distribution, habitat, morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships. The results of our phylogenetic study suggest that the species should be placed in a new genus of virgulariids, <i>Glaciaptilum</i> gen. nov. These analyses allow the segregation of part of the morphological characters previously included in <i>Virgularia</i>, such as the regular succession of, similar in size and nearly adnate distally, ridges of autozooids. After a detailed literature review, the species epithet, <i>glacialis</i>, should be abandoned in favour of <i>steenstrupii</i>. Our knowledge of the geographic and bathymetric distribution of this species around Iceland has improved considerably thanks to the acquisition of specimens or video images at nearly 40 sampling stations, as well as the accompanying fauna, and its nature as a habitat-forming species indicates that it should be seriously considered in future conservation plans.</p>

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A new and an old name for the arctic sea pen Virgularia glacialis Kölliker, 1870 (Octocorallia, Scleralcyonacea, Pennatuloidea), with description of a new genus

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月4日

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  • Pablo J. López-González,
  • Steinunn H. Ólafsdóttir

摘要

In general, the Arctic marine benthic fauna is still poorly understood. Old and incomplete descriptions, the loss of historical specimens, recognized authorities defending opposing ideas, and sometimes the lack of reliable taxonomic characters and information on their potential variability can cast serious doubt on the degree of knowledge of a species, its distribution, importance in the ecosystem as a habitat former, and its own phylogenetic relationships. The octocoral sea pen Virgularia glacialis Kölliker, 1870 is a good example of this. This species was described by several authors in different years using the same binomials, reported as a rare Arctic species with morphological characters attributable to the virgulariid genus Virgularia. The collection of hundreds of colonies by some recent benthic survey programmes around Iceland has allowed us to revisit the status of this species, its distribution, habitat, morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships. The results of our phylogenetic study suggest that the species should be placed in a new genus of virgulariids, Glaciaptilum gen. nov. These analyses allow the segregation of part of the morphological characters previously included in Virgularia, such as the regular succession of, similar in size and nearly adnate distally, ridges of autozooids. After a detailed literature review, the species epithet, glacialis, should be abandoned in favour of steenstrupii. Our knowledge of the geographic and bathymetric distribution of this species around Iceland has improved considerably thanks to the acquisition of specimens or video images at nearly 40 sampling stations, as well as the accompanying fauna, and its nature as a habitat-forming species indicates that it should be seriously considered in future conservation plans.