TABLE 2 in Whip black corals (Antipatharia: Antipathidae: Stichopathes) of the Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem of Mo'orea (French Polynesia), with the description of a new species

TABLE 2. Morphological characteristics of the groups described within Stichopathes variabilis var. asperispina by van Pesch, 1914.
Stichopathes variabilis var. asperispina van Pesch, 1914StationDepthShapeCoilsDiameter varyingSpine rowsPolypar spine sizes (mm)Abpolypar spine sizes (mm)Spines mutual distance (mm)Spine shape and ornamentationPolypsSaleyer 1st group36Slender spirals or curved, sinuousYesYes (spindle shape)5–9Up to 0.525Up to 0.200.375–0.900Blunt, laterally compressed, distally inclined, papillose or smooth, needle like on apical sections, younger spines with two or three tips usually smooth“Very diverging shape”, thickness of coenenchyma sometimes so small that spines are visibleSaleyer 2nd group36Spirals, partly spiral, or irregularly curvedNoYes (spindle shape)5–70.15–0.450.10–0.160.375–0.600Same as Saleyer 1st group, abpolypar spines sometimes more acute, one specimen with needle like spines at basal sectionSame as Saleyer 1st groupBorneo Bank59Partly wound in spiral or irregularly sinuousNoYes (spindle shape)6–80.105–0.1550.055–0.0900.375–0.525Conical, distally inclined, papillose, blunt, or small, triangular, almost smoothSame as Saleyer 1st groupBay of Nangamessi36Sinistrose spiral--6–80.08–0.1200.070–0.0750.375–0.480Same as Salayer 1st group, sometimes smoothSame as Saleyer 1st groupKei Islands90Dextrorsal spiral-Basal 0.76 mm8–90.03–0.080.390–0.525Conical, papillose, acute tip, distally inclinedSame as Saleyer 1st groupCeram Sea567TaperingNo-70.045–0.090.495–0.525Same as Saleyer 1st group but slightly papilloseSame as Saleyer 1st groupBatjulmati (Java)15Irregularly curved, spiral or partly wound in spiral--5–90.06–0.1950.035–0.1250.405–0.675Same as Saleyer 1st group