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 Sertularella crassicaulis ( Heller, 1868 ) Fig. 92 A–C See Medel et al. (1991) for a complete synonymy. FIGURE 92. Sertularella crassicaulis : A , general aspect of a colony; B , male gonotheca; C , female gonotheca (redrawn and modified: A after Medel et al . 1991; B, C after Stechow 1919 by C.G. Di Camillo). Scale bars: A, 2.0 cm; B, 1.0 mm; C, 2.0 mm. Material examined. HCUS-S 0 99 (Hydrozoa Collection, University of Salento—fauna of the Salento Peninsula). Description (based on our own observations; Gili 1986; Medel et al. 1991 ): Hydroid. Hydrorhiza as a mass of tubular, branching stolons; colony erect; hydrocauli polysiphonic basally, up to ca 60 mm high, dichotomously branched in different planes, with internodes separated by oblique nodes alternately sloping towards left or right side; hydrocladia similar in structure to hydrocaulus; hydrothecae cylindrical, almost as wide as long, lateral to the axis, alternate, one per internode, adcauline wall 1/2 adnate to the internode, aperture directed to the upper part of the axis. Gonothecae elongated, ovoid, with transverse undulations, apical neck distinct, with 3 cusps. Cnidome. Microbasic mastigophores. Habitat type . Species widely distributed from 5 to 50 m ( Boero & Fresi 1986 ; Gili 1986). Substrate. Algae, hydroids, gorgonaceans, bryozoans. Seasonality. January ( Galea 2007 ; Puce et al. 2009), February ( Stechow 1919 ; Puce et al. 2009), October ( Stechow 1919 ; De Vito 2006; this study), and September–April ( Boero & Fresi 1986 ) in several localities of the Mediterranean Sea; present all year. Reproductive period. February (Puce et al. 2009), October ( Stechow 1919 ; De Vito 2006; this study), and October–January ( Boero & Fresi 1986 ) in several localities of the Mediterranean Sea; April–May (Bouillon et al. 2004). Distribution. Endemic to the Mediterranean ( Stechow 1919 ; Picard 1956 ; Rossi 1961 ; Gili 1986; Medel & López-González 1996 ; Medel et al. 1991 ; Bouillon et al. 2004; Gravili et al. 2008a ). Records in Salento. Rare at Otranto (De Vito 2006; Gravili 2006; Gravili et al. 2008a ; this study). Remarks. For more details about the ecology of this species see Gili (1986). References. Stechow (1919) , Picard (1956) , Gili (1982 , 1986), Boero & Fresi (1986) , Medel et al. (1991) , Medel & López-González (1996) , Piraino et al. (1999) , Bouillon et al. (2004), De Vito (2006), Gravili (2006), Galea (2007) , Gravili et al. (2008a) , Puce et al. (2009).