Two new records of sea anemones (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Actiniaria) from the Eastern Pacific coast of El Salvador

Abstract

Two species of the genus Actinostella Duchassaing, 1850 are documented for the first time on the coasts of El Salvador: A. bradleyi (Verrill, 1869) and A. californica (McMurrich, 1893). Both species are briefly described, and images of live specimens showing their main external features are provided, as well as images of histological sections showing some taxonomic characteristics of their internal anatomy. These two species are distinguished from each other primarily by the number of tentacles, the number of mesentery pairs, the arrangement of gametogenic tissue, and some differences in their cnidom. The record of these two species in El Salvador increases the number of sea anemones recorded for the country to 12. Additionally, an updated list of sea anemone species documented in El Salvador is provided.

Keywords

• Actiniidae
• Actinostella bradleyi
• Actinostella californica
• marginal ruff
• benthic intertidal fauna