title: A new alcyonacean octocoral (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Octocorallia) from Chilean fjords.
abstract: A new species, Swiftia comauensis, is described from Chile. It occurs in shallow waters from 18 to 59 m in the Patagonian fjord region and seems to be endemic to the northern part of the region. The species is characterized by having straggly colonies with sparse branching and long drooping branches, prominent polyp mounds, and long, thin spindles; the colonies are bright orange with pale yellow polyp mounds. A sharp decline in colony abundance was observed between 2003 and 2013, and in January 2014 a proposal was submitted to the IUCN for the addition of this taxon to the Red List of Threatened Species.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología; Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas Universidad de Costa Rica, P. O. Box 11501-2060, San José, Costa Rica; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Republic of Panama, Panama.; Email: odaliscab@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Odalisca
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Breedy
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, W-205, Smithsonian Institution, P. O. Box 37012, Washington, D. C. 20560, U.S.A.; Email: cairnss@si.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cairns
authors.affiliation: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Avda. Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile, and Huinay Scientific Field Station, Chile.; Email: v.haussermann@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Häussermann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002677:Chile; D056727:Endangered Species