On a collection of hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the southwest coast of Florida, USA
Author
Calder, Dale R.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-10-25
4689
1
1
141
journal article
25128
10.11646/zootaxa.4689.1.1
a63613b4-e611-42e8-89cd-2d3aae126759
1175-5326
3519047
41BFBBDF-41AD-4329-B6B9-CF38D64815A6
Family Incertae Sedis
Genus and species indeterminate
Fig. 8d
Material examined.
Southwest Florida Shelf, outer shelf northwest of the Dry
Tortugas
,
25°16.83’N
,
83°57.35’W
,
127 m
, on
Lafoea coalescens
,
03 August 1981
, triangle dredge, one pedicel and hydranth,
0.5 mm
high, without gonophores, coll. Continental Shelf Associates,
ROMIZ
B4355.
Remarks.
This material has been treated as unidentifiable in having a somewhat damaged hydrotheca, a single pedicel, a short length of stolon, and few distinguishing characters.
Eucuspidella pedunculata
Allman, 1877
, originally described from a depth of 260 fathoms (
475 m
) off
Tortugas
, was considered but ruled out as a possibility. Hydrothecae of that species are fusiform rather than tapered towards the base, as in this hydroid, and hydranth pedicels are shown in the original account by
Allman (1877)
to be smooth throughout rather than being annulated at the base. While also resembling certain species of
Egmundella
Stechow, 1921b
, no nematophores were observed as in that genus.
The operculum of this miniscule hydroid (
0.5 mm
high) was indistinctly demarcated from the hydrothecal rim. Crease lines at the intersection of the two structures were invisible in lateral view, although they were seen in apical view. Meanwhile, a thin line observed at the base of a hydranth remnant may have marked the location of a thin diaphragm. The specimen is illustrated (
Fig. 8d
) for possible future reference.