A new species of Saropathes (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Antipatharia) from the Norfolk Ridge (south-west Pacific, New Caledonia)

A new species of the genus Saropathes Opresko, 2002 (Antipatharia, Schizopathidae, Schizopathinae) is described. Saropathes margaritae n. sp. differs from the closely related S. scoparia (Totton, 1923) in having shorter curved backward primary pinnules, in a lower order (up to three) of subpinnulation, in more (up to eight) secondary pinnules on each primary, as well as in the size and arrangement of spines. The polypar and abpolypar spines in S. margaritae n. sp. differ in form and size, the maximum height of the polypar spines being up to 0.12 mm. The antipatharian fauna reported from seamounts is discussed and a list of species is provided.