Dr. Odalisca Breedy, Panama
Info
Leptogorgia ignita is a small gorgonia from the East Pacific, which has been discovered only off the coast of Costa Rica in shallow water areas despite intensive search.
We would like to thank Dr. Odalisca Breedy for sponsoring a photo from her first description
"Leptogorgia ignita, a new shallow-water coral species (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) from the tropical eastern Pacific".
For those interested, we have attached a link to the original essay.
Color of the coral: Light orange
The branches of the coral arise from a short stalk about 1 cm long and 4 mm in diameter, they have a diameter of about 3 mm at the base and taper, the thick branches are marked with longitudinal grooves.
Branching is irregular, pinnatifid branches with a diameter of 1 - 2 mm are formed, which are irregularly arranged and branch at acute angles, they re-branch up to 4 times.
Unbranched terminal branches reach up to 5 cm in length with acute ends.
Polyps are retracted into slightly elevated, dome-shaped polyp mounds that leave small, oval, slit-shaped openings; polyp mounds are distributed around the branches.
Naming: "ignitus" = fiery, glowing.
The name of this species is an allusion to the flaming aspect of the colony due to its intense orange color.
We would like to thank Dr. Odalisca Breedy for sponsoring a photo from her first description
"Leptogorgia ignita, a new shallow-water coral species (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) from the tropical eastern Pacific".
For those interested, we have attached a link to the original essay.
Color of the coral: Light orange
The branches of the coral arise from a short stalk about 1 cm long and 4 mm in diameter, they have a diameter of about 3 mm at the base and taper, the thick branches are marked with longitudinal grooves.
Branching is irregular, pinnatifid branches with a diameter of 1 - 2 mm are formed, which are irregularly arranged and branch at acute angles, they re-branch up to 4 times.
Unbranched terminal branches reach up to 5 cm in length with acute ends.
Polyps are retracted into slightly elevated, dome-shaped polyp mounds that leave small, oval, slit-shaped openings; polyp mounds are distributed around the branches.
Naming: "ignitus" = fiery, glowing.
The name of this species is an allusion to the flaming aspect of the colony due to its intense orange color.
