Remarks. Bebryce parastellata colonies may occur in unbranched or sparsely branched forms. Colonies are white in alcohol and have small (1 mm) cylindrical calyces spaced 2–5 mm apart, generally along one side of the slender (1–2 mm) branch. The outer coenenchyme contains small (0.1 mm) cup-like sclerites with a base, with the concavity of the cup facing away from the axis. Other sclerites are bent, foliated spindles and stellate plates or crosses with a raised center, resembling a knob.
Atlantic distribution: North Carolina, 46-53
m; Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi), 60-73 m; Bahamas, 256-586 m;
Cuba, 40 m -unknown depth; Barbados, 186 m (type) (Deichmann,
1936; NMNH collections).
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Figure 1. Bebryce parastellata preserved specimen (USNM
56422); left) colony branch (scale bar = 1 mm); right) calyx.
Figure
2. Bebryce parastellata sclerites (USNM 56422). Clockwise
from left) lateral and top view of cup-like rosette from outer cortex;
knobbed stellate plate, and curved rod (scale bar = 0.1mm). SEM
images by S. Cairns/NMNH.
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