Benthic hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica)
Author
Soto, Joan J.
Author
Peña, Álvaro L.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-03-22
4570
1
1
78
journal article
27992
10.11646/zootaxa.4570.1.1
66601a1e-ba16-41b2-b182-0fd80e75ccba
1175-5326
2608527
EF369E98-EBD9-4647-B081-65AD1794A27C
Corymorpha microrhiza
(
Hickson & Gravely, 1907
)
(
Fig. 5
i–l)
Material examined.
ANT XVII/3
:
111-9
, few polyps, up to
80 mm
high, on gravel, with mature gonophores;
ANT XXI/2
:
PS65/253
, few polyps, up to
80 mm
high, with developing gonophores;
PS65/280
, few polyps, up to
140 mm
high, with mature gonophores.
Remarks.
Similarly to
Z. parvula
,
Corymorpha microrhiza
was first described as
Lampra microrhiza
(
Hickson & Gravely, 1907
)
, and then allocated within
Corymorpha
by
Stepanjants (1972)
, re-allocated within
Lampra
by
Stepanjants & Svoboda (1999)
, and in
Monocaulus
by
Svoboda & Stepanjants (2001)
. However, the species is now considered to belong to
Corymorpha
(
Vervoort 2009
)
.
Svoboda & Stepanjants (2001)
provided a detailed description of the
syntypes
and additional material from the Weddell Sea. Specimens examined here concur in every aspect, but for the presence of branched blastostyles, although exclusively observed in large and mature specimens (
Fig. 5j
). The original description by
Hickson & Gravely (1907)
refers branched blastostyles, but
Svoboda & Stepanjants (2001)
were not able to determine this character in the type material. This discrepancy could be attributed either to putative sexual dimorphism or to the fact that the material examined by these authors was not completely developed. Cnidome information was not given in previous descriptions. Therefore, until the analysis of the cnidome in the type series, none of the records can be ascribed with confidence to
C. microrhiza
.
Cnidome consisting of stenoteles [range 11.0–13.0 x 8.0–11.0 µm, mean 11.9±0.8 x 9.9±0.9 µm (n=15)], rounded haplonemes [range 16.0–17.5 x 13.5–14.5 µm, mean 17.0±0.5 x 14.1±0.3 µm (n=15)] and desmonemes [range 7.0–7.5 x 6.5–7.5 µm, mean 7.3±0.3 x 7.1±0.3 µm (n=15)].
Ecology and distribution.
Species previously known from
237 to 629 m
(
Svoboda & Stepanjants 2001, as
Monocaulus microrhiza
); present material collected from
62 to
309 m
. Little-recorded species, only known from the Ross Sea (
Hickson & Gravely 1907, as
Lampra microrhiza
) and the Weddell Sea (
Svoboda & Stepanjants 2001
). Probably circum-Antarctic distribution (
Svoboda & Stepanjants 2001
). Present contribution represents the third record of the species.