Paragorgia papillata sp. nov., a new bubblegum coral (Octocorallia: Paragorgiidae) from a seamount in the tropical Western Pacific

A new species of bubblegum coral, Paragorgia papillata sp. nov., discovered from a seamount located on the Caroline Ridge at the water depth of 858 m, is studied using morphological and molecular approaches. The new gorgonian is white-colored, uniplanar with prominent autozooids, and measures about 670-mm high and 690-mm wide. The genetic distance and phylogenetic analysis showed that P. papillata sp. nov. was closely related to P. coralloides Bayer, 1993, but the former differs morphologically from the latter by its prominent calyces (diameter 2.0–4.0 mm and height 1.5–3.0 mm vs. both diameter and height about 1 mm), white cortex (vs. pink), regular 8-radiates in surface cortex (vs. mostly 8-radiate derived globular radiates) and highly ornate medullar spindles (length 185–100 µm vs. no more than 150 µm). P. papillata sp. nov. is the third known white-colored species of the genus, and the fifth species found in the tropical Western Pacific.