200 
THE CORAL TRIANGLE: HEARST BIODIVERSITY EXPEDITION 
fine, short setae along inferior, superior, and cutting margins. Maxilla with 10-11 large spines 
along cutting margin, last spine set in from inferior angle; fine, short, dense setae along superior, 
inferior, and cutting margins. 2"^ Maxilla oblong; apex covered in dense, long, fine setae. Palp 
oblong, blunt apex; fine dense setae along inferior margin; long setae apically and along part of 
superior margin. Cirrus I anterior ramus 'A to Vs longer than posterior ramus; rami covered in dense, 
medium length setae; rami thick, tapered; segmentation distinct. Cirrus II anterior ramus % longer 
than posterior ramus; rami thick; segmentation distinct, inferior margins bulbous; setae dense, infe¬ 
rior setae long, superior setae medium length. Cirms III similar to CII, longer; anterior ramus with 
inferior margin armature, spines dense. Cirrus IV anterior ramus with dense armature along inferi¬ 
or margin; rami tapered, longer, segment mai'gins smoother than Cl, CII, and CIII; inferior margin 
setae dense, long, superior margin setae only at segment junctions, medium length. Cirrus V rami 
similar in length; inferior margin setae dense, long, superior margin setae only at segment junc¬ 
tions, medium length. Cirrus VI similar to CV. Penis long; large spine at base; covered in sparse, 
fine, short setae. All cirral setae simple. 
Table 6. Cirral formula for 
Conopea 
exothobasis sp. nov. Segment counts from holotype. 
CASIZ 191927. 
Cirms 
I 
II 
III 
IV V VI 
Anterior ramus 
6-8 
7-10 
11-13 
12-Missing 19-Missing 
17-21 
Posterior ramus 
13-15 
11-12 
8-13 
13-Missing 21-Missing 
23-22 
Etomology. — From the Greek exotho- to protrude, and basis, for the basis protruding far 
beyond the carina along the host axis. 
Distribution. — Known only from the type locality in the Verde Island Passage, Philippines. 
Species comparisons. — Conopea exothobasis is most similar to C. basicuneata, they both 
have a non-elongated carina, with a greatly elongated rostrum. However the basis of C. exothoba¬ 
sis does not taper evenly as it does in C. basicuneata. The basis of C. exothobasis beneath the ros¬ 
trum is nearly flat, not tapered. The other gorgonian-inhabiting western Pacific species of Conopea 
with elongated rostra with nearly vertical carinas, C. acuta, C. investita, and C. mjobergi, all pos¬ 
sess a cup-shaped basis, not the greatly elongated and protruding, tapered basis of C. exothobasis. 
Key to the western Pacific octocoral symbiont species of Conopea 
The following key includes only those taxa with type localities in the west Pacific Ocean. Type 
localities and host taxa from the original descriptions are noted following species level taxa. 
1- 6 wall plates.2 
1- 4 wall plates.C. cornuta (Hoek, 1913) 
(Indonesia, Ceram Sea, 1°42.5'S, 130°47.5'E; type host “brown stem, 
which, perhaps is that of a species of Gorgonia”) 
2- Carina elongated along axis of host.3 
2- Carina not elongated along axis of host.5 
3- Rostrum greatly elongated along axis of host.4 
3- Rostmm not greatly elongated along axis of host, carina longer than rostrum. 
.C. minyrostrum Van Syoc, Carrison-Stone, Madrona, and Williams sp. nov. 
(Philippines, Verde Island Passage; type host Viminella sp.) 
4— Basis, carina and rostmm greatly elongated, more than 4 times height of shell. 
