Chrysogorgia from the New England and Corner Seamounts: Atlantic-Pacific connections

Recent exploration of the New England and Corner Seamounts revealed four new species of Chrysogorgia, described here using a combination of molecular and morphological data. These four species are characterized by a sinistral spiral, a character that, with one known exception, has only been reported for Pacific species. In addition, two species have a sclerite composition typical of the Pacific ('squamosae typicae'). This faunal connection between the Atlantic and the Pacific is confirmed by analysis of the mitochondrial msh1 gene. The exceptional preservation of specimens collected with remotely operated vehicles allows us to discuss the effect of growth on some morphological characters.