Azooxanthellate Scleractinia of Western Australia 
401 
Truncatoflabellum macroeschara sp. nov. 
Figure 8 d-e, g-i 
IFlabellum sp. Veron, 1986: 603, black and white 
illustration. 
Records 
Soela: stn 05/82/13, holotype and 1 paratype, 
WAM 50-83; stn 02/82/9, 1 paratype, WAM 97- 
83; stn 02/83/13A, 2 paratypes, WAM 77- and 98- 
84; stn 04B/82/64, 1 paratype, WAM 82-83; stn 
05/82/60, 1 paratype, WAM 75-83; stn 05/82/65, 
1 paratype, WAM 79-83. 
Hai Kung: stn MFG81, 1 paratype, NMV F78390. 
WA Hawaiian Expedition: 16-22 km NNW Anchor 
Island, Onslow, 119 m, 17 VI 1960, 2 paratypes: 1 
(WAM 230-93), 1 (USNM 96661). 
Lady Basten: stn LB4(s), 1 paratype, WAM 13-96; 
stn LB5(s), 1 paratype, WAM 34-96; stn LB5(t), 3 
paratypes, WAM 17-96; stn LB6(t), 3 paratypes: 2 
(WAM 37- and 39-96), 1 (USNM 96664). 
Lady: stn RW96-14,1 paratype, NTM C8068. 
Type Locality 
19°52.3'S, 117°16.1'E (east of Glomar Shoal, WA); 
56-58 m. 
Description 
Angle of straight, rounded thecal edges 55°-87°; 
angle of thecal faces 22°-2 7°. Holotype 46.2 x 15.8 
mm in calicular diameter and 22.5 mm in height, 
with a basal scar diameter of 25.1 x 10.1 mm; 
however largest specimen (WAM 39-96) 106.7 
mm in GCD. Calicular edge and basal scar 
moderately arched; GCD:LCD = 2.5-3.1. Basal 
scar enormous, ranging from 19.7 to 30.4 mm in 
greater length and 10-12 mm in width (ave. length 
= 24.37 mm, N = 8). One pair of downward 
curving thecal edge spines occurs adjacent to 
basal scar. Theca often encrusted with 
foraminifera, serpulid tubes, bryozoans, 
gastropod egg cases, gastropods (limpets), and 
bivalves (oysters); otherwise corallum white. 
Septa hexamerally arranged in 6 cycles (Sl- 
4»S5>S6, =192 septa); however, larger coralla 
have additional pairs of S7 but never a full cycle. 
Sl-4 shaped as in T. veroni and several other 
species; axial edges straight in upper fossa, but 
moderately sinuous adjacent to columella. S5 
narrow at calicular edge but about half width of 
Sl-4 lower in fossa. S6 rudimentary. Fossa deep 
and wide, containing a well-developed trabecular 
columella 2.5-3.5 mm in width. 
Only one anthocaulus is known (WAM 230-93, 
Fig 8d), measuring 23.5 x 10.9 mm in calicular 
diameter, 15.9 mm in height, and having a pedicel 
2.0 mm in diameter and a pair of thecal edge spines 
7 mm long. It appears to be a mature anthocaulus, 
perhaps just having budded an anthocyathus. 
Remarks 
Truncatoflabellum macroeschara differs from all 
other species in the genus by having such a large 
basal scar and a very wide columella. Among 
Australian species, it is most similar to T. veroni. 
In addition to its larger basal scar and columella, 
T. macroeschara can be distinguished from T. 
vero7ii by its smaller edge angle (less than 90° vs 
more than 90°) and smaller GCD:LCD (see Table 
4). 
Veron's (1986: 603) illustration of a 
Truncatoflabellum implies a greater basal scar 
diameter of 33-34 mm, which is unlikely. The 
stated magnification of the figure is probably too 
low, and these specimens are probably either T. 
macroeschara or T. veroni. 
Distribution 
Western Australia: continental shelf of 
northwestern coast from Sahul Bank (Holothuria 
Reef) to Onslow; 58-201 m; 19°-24.1°C; sandy and 
rubble substrates. 
Etymology 
The species name macroeschara (Greek makros, 
long + eschara, scar) alludes to the extremely long 
basal scar of the anthocyathus. 
Genus Placotrochus Milne Edwards and Haime, 
1848a 
Placotrochus laevis Milne Edwards and Haime, 
1848a 
Figure 8 f 
Placotrochus laevis Milne Edwards and Haime, 
1848a: 283, pi. 8, figs. 15, 15a.—Semper, 1872, 
251-252, pi. 18, figs. 11-13.—Folkeson, 1919: 5- 
6.—Cairns, 1989: 75-76, pi. 39, figs, c-g 
(synonymy and description).—Cairns and 
Zibrowius, 1997: 175. 
Placotrochus sp. Veron, 1986: 603, black and white 
fi g- 
New Records 
Soela: stn 02/82/12A, 1, WAM 100-83; stn 02/ 
82/54A, 9: 6 (WAM 19-88 and 447-96), 3 (USNM 
96677). 
Sprightly; stn SP04/12/41, 1, WAM 227-92. 
Umataka Maru: stn 6927, 2, WAM 99-84 and 
219-92. 
Moresby: stn 12, 1, WAM 226-92; stn 14, 1, WAM 
2-83. 
Lady Basten: stn LBlb(s), 1, WAM 7-96. 
Kunmunyah: stn BG2, 1, NTM C7999; stn BG13, 
20, NTM C8046; stn BG20, 6, NTM C8003; stn 
BG21, 3, NTM C8043; stn BC.26, 2, NTM C8005; stn 
BG27, 4, NTM C8007; stn BG28, 5, NTM C8009; stn 
BG36, 1, NTM C8010; stn BG39, 2, NTM C8011; stn 
