In the eastern Pacific Ocean, the genus Thesea has only been reported off Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, and La Jolla, California. Herein we describe a new species of Thesea from the threatened mesophotic zone of Hannibal Bank seamount and report the occurrence of the genus in Panama. The morphological characters of the species were analyzed and illustrated by optic and scanning electron microscopy. Thesea dalioi sp. nov. can be distinguished from the only other eastern Pacific species, Thesea variabilis (Studer, 1894), in the colony shape, branch thickness, prominent polyp mounds, bright red color of the colony and sclerites, and the size and composition of sclerites. This new species represents the second published report for the genus in the region and contributes to our understanding of the diversity and distribution of the octocorals from the mesophotic zone in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Depth range
45- 49 m

Mesophotic “mentions”
9 x (total of 2837 words)

Classification
* Presents original data
* Reports new species
* Focused on 'mesophotic' depth range
* Focused on 'mesophotic coral ecosystem'

Fields
Ecology
Taxonomy

Focusgroups
Octocorallia (Soft Corals)

Locations
Panama - Pacific Ocean

Platforms
Manned Submersible
SCUBA (open-circuit or unspecified)