taxonID	type	description	language	source
100CA82B4A8359D79942FC1CFE5B389F.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Colonies are encrusting mats of irregular shape, consisting of clusters of 3 - 25 polyps that may be interconnected by thin coenenchymal extensions forming bridge-like bands between them. Colonies lack an axis. Polyps are retractile into calyces that are covered by a dense layer of small sclerites producing a granular appearance. Coenenchyme is thin without differential sclerite layers. Coenenchymal sclerites are mostly red asymmetrical spindles with simple tubercles and irregular ends. Anthocodial sclerites are mostly red flat rods, with serrated or prickly borders and sparse thorns on the surface, and spine-like rods. They are arranged " en chevron ", forming points but not a collaret. Flat rods form longitudinal rows along the polyp body. Tentacular sclerites are mostly yellow, biscuit-like rods. Colonies are dark red in life and maintain that colour in ethanol.	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
100CA82B4A8359D79942FC1CFE5B389F.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Alienus (L) foreign, strange, not related. The generic name refers to the unexpected appearance or unnoticed presence of a new shallow-water taxon. It also alludes to its surprising phylogenetic relationship to a group of gorgonian octocorals, a relationship not predicted by its morphology. Gender feminine.	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
59BD0382446A56DE8A8809DCCAEE1184.taxon	description	Figs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
59BD0382446A56DE8A8809DCCAEE1184.taxon	materials_examined	Materials examined. Holotype. MZUCR 3679, lot 1, ethanol-preserved, Manuelita Afuera, Isla del Coco, 05 ° 33.791 ' N, 087 ° 02.934 ' W, 22 m depth, J. Cortes and M. Cruz, 4 December 2021. Paratypes. MZUCR 3680, lot 2, same data as holotype. MZUCR 3681, lot 1, lot 2, ethanol-preserved, Manuelita Canal, Isla del Coco, 05 ° 33.524 ' N, 087 ° 02.940 ' W, 20 - 30 m depth, B. Naranjo, 12 October 2021. MZUCR 3682, ethanol-preserved, Bajo Manuelita, Isla del Coco, 05 ° 33.849 ' N, 087 ° 02.676 ' W, 23 m, J. Cortes and A. Klapfer, 6 December 2021. MZUCR 3683, Manuelita Afuera, Isla del Coco, 05 ° 33.791 ' N, 087 ° 02.934 ' W, 29 m depth, O. Breedy, 28 September 2022. MZUCR 3684, Manuelita Afuera, Isla del Coco, 05 ° 33.791 ' N, 087 ° 02.934 ' W, 25 m depth, O. Breedy, 4 October 2022.	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
59BD0382446A56DE8A8809DCCAEE1184.taxon	description	Description. The holotype is formed of 15 scattered clusters of polyps encrusting the surface of a barnacle about 4 cm in diameter; the barnacle plates are covered by many epibionts and several small, unbranched hydroids (Fig. 2 A). The polyps are in clusters, 0.15 - 1.10 cm in longest dimension and composed of 3 - 20 polyps (Fig. 2 A). The polyps are closely spaced; those that are preserved partially expanded are up to 2.0 mm tall (from the base to the proximal border of tentacles) (Fig. 2 B). Polyps are retractile into calyces that are up to 0.75 mm in diameter, and up to 1.0 mm tall when the anthocodia is retracted. The surface of the calyx is covered by a dense layer of sclerites giving it a slightly granular appearance. The tentacles are transparent with yellow sclerites. When retracted, the yellow sclerites can be observed at the polyp-mound summit (Fig. 2 C). The coenenchyme is thin and without differential sclerite layers; it extends over the substrate. Coenenchymal sclerites are asymmetrical spindles with variable ends: pointed, blunt, bifurcated, or a combination (Figs 4, 5). They are straight or slightly curved, 0.16 - 0.35 mm long, and 0.02 - 0.08 mm wide (Figs 4 A, 5 A), with simple tubercles, not very crowded on the surface; they do not have complex tubercles or waists. Anthocodial sclerites are mostly red flat rods, 0.20 - 0.30 mm long and 0.02 - 0.06 mm wide, with serrated or prickly borders and sparse thorns on the surface, and smaller biscuit-like rods, 0.06 - 0.10 mm long and 0.02 - 0.03 mm wide (Fig. 4 C, 5 B). Anthocodial rods are arranged ' en chevron ', forming points but not a collaret (Fig. 2 B). The flat rods are arranged in longitudinal rows along the polyp body (Fig. 2 B, 5 D). Tentacular sclerites are spine-like rods with a bent end 0.14 - 0.29 mm long and 0.02 - 0.03 mm wide (Figs 4 B, 5 C). Colonies are dark red in life and when preserved (Fig. 2 A-C). Coenenchymal sclerites are mostly dark red, but sometimes with lighter hues (Fig. 4 A). The characteristics of the paratypes are very consistent with those of the holotype.	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
59BD0382446A56DE8A8809DCCAEE1184.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Colonies were found at various localities north of Isla del Coco around Manuelita Afuera, Manuelita Canal and Bajo Manuelita; and northwest at Roca Sucia, 05 ° 32.875 ' N, 087 ° 04.956 ' W and Viking Rock (Isla Cascara), 05 ° 33.006 ' N, 087 ° 03.865 ' W, NW of the island (Fig. 1). Only known from the type locality. The bathymetric range was 20 - 30 m.	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
59BD0382446A56DE8A8809DCCAEE1184.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Parvus (L), in allusion to the small size of the polyps. Gender feminine: Aliena parva.	en	Breedy, Odalisca, McFadden, Catherine S., Cortes, Jorge (2023): An enigmatic new octocoral species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea) from Isla del Coco National Park. ZooKeys 1169: 317-331, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1169.100576
