The non-Siphonophoran Hydrozoa (Cnidaria) of Salento, Italy with notes on their life-cycles: an illustrated guide Author Gravili, Cinzia Author Vito, Doris De Author Camillo, Cristina Gioia Di Author Martell, Luis Author Piraino, Stefano Author Boero, Ferdinando text Zootaxa 2015 3908 1 1 187 journal article 42365 10.11646/zootaxa.3908.1.1 6f1d1977-6b97-4789-828c-76ed250cf1ae 1175-5326 242729 D6AD2B49-170B-4D9C-84AA-DBE0FEEAD8BE Halocoryne epizoica Hadzi, 1917 Fig. 46 A–F See Schuchert (2010) for a complete synonymy. Material examined. HCUS-S 0 51 (Hydrozoa Collection, University of Salento—fauna of the Salento Peninsula)—polyp stage. Description (based on our own observations; Hadzi 1917a , b ; Brinckmann-Voss 1970 ; Bouillon 1974; Piraino et al. 1992 ; Schuchert 2010): Hydroid. Hydrorhiza reticular, embedded in bryozoan colonies; colonies stolonal, polymorphic; gastrozooids cylindrical, very thin, sessile, naked, lacking tentacles but with 2 prominent ectodermal swellings containing stenoteles on opposite sides of the mouth; dactylo-gonozooids stouter than gastrozooids, without mouth and tentacles, with a terminal spherical cnidocyst cluster and up to 5 additional cnidocyst clusters along one side of the body or arranged in an interrupted spiral towards hydrorhiza. Colours: gonozooids dark red, other polyps dark red to transparent. FIGURE 46. Halocoryne epizoica : A , general aspect of fertile colony; B , partly spent male eumedusoid; C , particular of a marginal bulb with a nematocyst patch; D undischarged macrobasic eurytele (?); E , F , discharged and undischarged macrobasic mastigophores (D, E, and F same scale bar) (modified after Piraino et al. 1992). Scale bars: A, 1.0 mm; B, 0.5 mm; C, 0.1 mm; D, E, F, 10.0 µm. Eumedusoid: liberated or not, borne singly or in clusters on short pedicels on lower part of dactylogonozooids, bell-shaped with 4 exumbrellar cnidocyst pouches connected with marginal bulbs, manubrium reaching two thirds the height of subumbrellar cavity, without mouth; 4 radial canals; gonads completely encircling manubrium; 4 perradial marginal bulbs, without tentacles. Colours: dark red due to dense granules identical to those of the dactylo-gonozooids. Habitat type and substrate. Polyps grow in association with the bryozoan Schizoporella sanguinea (depth range: 0–40 m , also up to 100 m ) ( Hadzi 1917a , b ; Piraino et al. 1992 ; this study). Seasonality. From January to December in Salento waters (De Vito 2006; this study). Reproductive period. Fertile colonies occur in April, June–October (De Vito 2006; this study) in Salento waters. Cnidome. Stenoteles of two sizes (polyp); stenoteles of two sizes, macrobasic euryteles (?), and macrobasic mastigophores (medusa). Distribution. Endemic to the Mediterranean Sea ( Brinckmann-Voss 1970 ; Piraino et al. 1992 ; Bouillon et al. 2004; Gravili et al. 2008a ; Schuchert 2010). Records in Salento. Common in the following localities: Torre dell’Inserraglio, Montagna Spaccata, La Strea, La Rotonda, Porto Badisco, Marina di Corsano, Palude del Capitano, Torre Vado, Ponte del Ciolo ( Presicce 1991 ); Ionian and Adriatic coasts of Apulia ( Piraino et al . 1992 ); Porto Cesareo (Boero et al . 2000); Otranto (De Vito 2006; Gravili 2006; Gravili et al. 2008a ; this study). Remarks. The whole life cycle was examined in the present study. Halocoryne epizoica engulfs and feeds on the lophophoral tentacles of its bryozoan host Schizobrachiella sanguinea ( Piraino et al. 1992 ) . References. Hadzi (1917), Picard (1958a) , Brinckmann-Voss (1970) , Petersen (1990) , Piraino et al. (1992 , 1999 ), Boero et al. (2000), Bouillon et al. (2004), De Vito (2006), Gravili (2006), Gravili et al. (2008a) , Schuchert (2010).