The Cnidarian Tree of Life Project

The Terrasses cruise, organized by the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN, Paris France) and the French Institute for Research and Development (IRD, Paris and Nouméa, New Caledonia) took place from 14th to the 31st of October 2008 (PI: Dr. Sarah Samadi, IRD-MNHN). Seamounts from the Loyalty and Norfolk Ridges, and the Southwestern slope of l’Ile des Pins were sampled by dredging and beam-trawling between 90 and 1120 m depth (Fig. 1). Eric Pante, PhD student in Dr. Scott France’s lab at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette took part in the cruise and sampled cnidarians for genetic analysis. A total of 724 lots were preserved for genetics in 80% molecular-grade ethanol, and for a fraction of the samples, in RNAlater. Most lots correspond to 1 individual or colony, but some lots contain multiple individuals, such as small scleractinians and anemones (Fig. 2b). Many additional samples were kept in regular ethanol. Whole colonies (except non-colonial cnidarians) were also stored regular ethanol and directly sent to the MNHN, for a total of four 60L barrels, and one 120L barrel. All specimens sampled for genetics and most of the additional specimens were photographed, for a total of approximately 1500, high-resolution, digital images. Among the 724 lots are 649 anthozoans (113 hexacorals and 536 octocorals), 56 hydrozoans (hydroids and stylasterids), 1 scyphozoan and 18 unidentified and / or non-cnidarian invertebrates (due to misidentification on-board). In collaboration with personnel at the MNHN, lots were dispatched to CnidToL collaborators in June 2009, after initial identifications in the France Lab. Preliminary results, from DNA extraction to sequencing, are very encouraging: all PCR attempted was successful, and for chrysogorgiid corals (typically deep-sea gorgonians), sequencing already revealed new genetic diversity, and is catalyzing work on the re-description of Isidoides, a rare but taxonomically relevant chrysogorgiid genus. The success of the Terrasses cruise and the promising preliminary results resulted in an invitation to EP from Dr. Sarah Samadi to visit her lab at the MNHN in December 2009 to work on the morphological and molecular characterization of the chrysogorgiid specimens collected in New Caledonia. As well, EP and Dr. Estefania Rodriguez (AMNH) are currently discussing a collaboration to characterize the association between Chrysogorgia sp. and unidentified actiniarians (sea anemones). Finally, genetic data from Terrasses chrysogorgiids are included in a manuscript in preparation (Pante and France), on the first phylogenetic treatment of the Chrysogorgiidae.