The Extant Scleractinian Corals of New Zealand
Family Caryophylliidae Gray, 1847
Family Caryophylliidae Gray, 1847
Genus Trochocyathus Edwards and Haime, 1848
Trochocyathus (Thecocyathus) sp. ?
Gardiner (1929) records "A single little cone, 10 mm high, with calicle 7.5 mm in diameter must be referred to this genus." The specimen is heavily epithecate. It was collected from Terra Nova station 91, Three Kings Island, 300 fathoms.
Genus Conocyathus D'Orbigny, 1849
Conocyathus zelandiae Duncan, 1876
1876. | Conocyathus zelandiae Duncan, p. 341, Pl. 38, fig. 1-3. |
Duncan (1876, p. 429) records this species from Cook Strait, its type locality, where he collected two specimens. Although the species occurs in the fossil record of New Zealand (Squires, 1958), there are no additional records of its occurrence in New Zealand. It is, however, very common in several areas in Australia and has been reported from the Persian Gulf. Dredging operations in New Zealand are not yet sufficiently complete to permit a categorical statement regarding its non-occurrence, but, as Cook Strait is perhaps one of the more intensively studied areas of the shelf, it is surprising that the species has not been recollected.