Hai loài san hô mềm Xenia novaebritanniae Ashworth, 1900 và Xenia lillieae Roxas, 1933 (Malacalcyonacea: Xeniidae) mới phát hiện ở đảo Song Tử Tây, quần đảo Trường Sa, Việt Nam [Newly record soft coral species Xenia novaebritanniae Ashworth, 1900 and Xenia lillieae Roxas, 1933 (Malacalcyonacea: Xeniidae) at Song Tu Tay island in Truong Sa archipelago, Vietnam]

Abstract

The coral in the Truong Sa archipelago (Spratly Islands) is considered of high diversity, the pervious research showed that Truong Sa archipelago has over 333 species of 71 genera and 15 families of hard corals, accounting for 74% of the species known in Vietnam and 57.6% of the coral species recorded in neighbouring South China Sea (Bien Dong) countries. However, the studying on soft coral biodiversity is extremely limited, this result was the first time two soft coral species, Xenia novaebritanniae and Xenia lillieae, were found in Spratly archipelago (Song Tu Tay/Southwest Cay). The morphological differences and sclerite structure of the soft coral specimens are described in detail. Previously, these two species were only found in the coastal waters of Central Viet Nam. Our findings not only contribute to expanding the distribution of soft corals, but also increasing the value of coral reef ecosystem biodiversity in this area.