Morphological variability of the Caribbean hidden anemone Lebrunia coralligens (Wilson, 1890)

GONZÁLEZ-MUÑOZ, R. E.; GARESE, A.; TELLO-MUSI, J. L.; ACUÑA, F. H.

ZOOMORPHOLOGY (BERLIN. PRINT)

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2017 vol. 136 p. 287 - 297

0720-213X

Lebruniacoralligens is amongthe most common sea anemone species found inhabiting in coral reefsenvironments along the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. This species exhibittwo distinct morphotypes characterized mainly by differences in the location ofvesicles on its pseudotentacles. The morphology and cnidae size ranges betweenrepresentatives of the two morphotypes, as well as with those from specimens ofits congeners Lebrunia neglecta, werecompared in order to identify taxonomic distinctions that would enableseparation of the morphotypes into different species. Statistical variabilityin specimens and cnidae size ranges was found between the two morphotypes, buta greater variability was found when compared with cnidae size ranges of L. neglecta. These results suggest thatpseudotentacular form and cnidae size differences are due to broad phenotypicplasticity within L. coralligens. Inaddition, results also suggest that quantitative comparisons of cnidae couldreinforce the taxonomic distinction of closely related species as L. coralligens and L. neglecta.