New records of azooxanthellate corals (Anthozoa, Scleractinia) from the southern Brazilian continental shelf and slope

This study presents the records of Madrepora oculata Linnaeus, 1758, Solenosmilia variabilis Duncan, 1873, and Trochocyathus laboreli Cairns, 2000, for the southern Brazilian continental shelf and slope, and the extension of the occurrence of Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus, 1758). All specimens were collected in Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states (125-822 m deep). These species had only been recorded previously on the southeastern, northeastern and northern coasts of Brazil, and L. pertusa had only recently been recorded around Paraná state. Description, distribution and illustration are given. A short discussion on the ecological importance of the colonial species is provided.