SEM study of species of Oswaldella Stechow, 1919 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Kirchenpaueriidae), with an annotated checklist of the species of the genus
Author
Molinero, A. González
Author
Peña Cantero, A. L.
text
Zootaxa
2015
4052
4
401
441
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4052.4.1
93f6d085-8e63-4d1e-89c1-f950128b2a61
1175-5326
245887
47EF6E9D-9064-4899-B3DD-276FF7C969EB
Oswaldella
sp.
(
Figs 15
,
16
P, 18H, 20H)
Material examined.
New Zealand
Antarctic
Expedition TAN0402:
Stn 178
,
Tangaroa
,
27 February 2004
, 71°31’89’’–
71°32’16’’S
, 171°18’31’’–
171°18’70’’E
(Cape Adare, Ross Sea),
343–
348 m
.
Description.
Monosiphonic, unbranched stems, up to
100 mm
high, divided into internodes. Cauline apophyses with two axillary nematophores, each emerging through simple hole in perisarc (
Fig. 15
B).
Hydrocladia usually bifurcated, first hydrocladial internode giving rise to two secondary hydrocladia; however, a third-order hydrocladium is not uncommon (
Fig. 15
A). First hydrocladial internode bifurcated, with two similar prongs (
Fig. 15
A). Mesial inferior nematophore emerging from marked swelling at proximal third of internode (
Fig. 15
C); with well-developed, claw-shaped nematotheca (
Fig. 15
C–E). Hydrotheca low, about as high as wide, placed on distal half of internode. Abcauline wall straight; adcauline one mostly adnate (
Fig. 15
C). Hydrothecal aperture circular (
Fig. 15
D), roughly perpendicular to longitudinal axis of internode (
Fig. 15
C); rim even.
Gonothecae unknown.
Remarks.
Our material is undoubtedly conspecific with the material described as
Oswaldella
sp.2 by
Peña Cantero & Vervoort (2004)
. It is also morphologically very close to
Oswaldella incognita
(cf.
Figs 8
,
15
), sharing many characteristics with this species (see also
Peña Cantero & Vervoort 2004
). The number of axillary nematophores, and the absence of 'mamelons', gives to the cauline apophyses of
Oswaldella
sp. a similar configuration to that found in
O
. incognita
.
Additionally, they share the presence of mesial inferior nematotheca, as well as the shape of nematothecae and hydrothecae.
Peña Cantero & Vervoort (2004)
indicated that
Oswaldella
sp.2 has longer hydrocladial internodes and shorter hydrothecae and that they also differ in the fact that only secondary hydrocladia had been described for
O
. incognita
.
Peña Cantero & Vervoort (2009)
, however, studied material of
O
. incognita
with occasional presence of third-order hydrocladia. In our opinion,
Oswaldella
sp. and
Oswaldella incognita
share so many key features they are likely conspecific, though it would be necessary to examine the material studied by
Peña Cantero & Vervoort (2004)
to confirm that the axillary nematophores do not have nematothecae.