Turritopsis fascicularis Fraser, 1943 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa): redescription and discussion of its phylogenetic position within the genus
Author
Miglietta, Maria Pia
text
Zootaxa
2016
4097
3
426
433
journal article
51386
10.11646/zootaxa.4097.3.10
64510720-bb2d-4dbe-9da2-909acb74f380
1175-5326
256352
89539AD2-1155-413F-AD13-8D755386302A
Re-description of
Turritopsis fascicularis
Class Hydrozoa, Subclass
Anthoathecata
, Order Hydroidolina, Sub Order Filifera, Family
Oceaniidae
(
Figures 1– 3
).
Colony erect and shrub like, branched,
7–10 cm
tall. General color of the colony ranges from yellow to dark brown. Colony polysiphonic with thick (
3-4 mm
) (
Fig. 1
) base and main hydrocauli and hydrocladia composed by several tubes running together and parallel to each other. Thinner hydrocladia branch from main hydrocaulus. Single polyps (rarely two) branch off hydrocaulus and hydrocladia (
Fig. 2
). Stolons are covered with perisarc. Perisarc stops at the base of each single polyp. Annulations absent. Polyps clavate, on short pedicels with approximately 12-15 scattered tentacles. Hypostome conical, sometimes slightly elongate. Tentacles appear thick. All observed colonies were fertile. Medusa buds on a very short pedicel, arising from the distal portion of the pedicel, and just below hydranth. Fertile polyps observed with only one medusa bud at the time. Medusa buds with 4 radial canals and 4 or 8 short rudimentary tentacles (
Fig. 3
).