SEM study of species of Oswaldella Stechow, 1919 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Kirchenpaueriidae), with an annotated checklist of the species of the genus
Author
Molinero, A. González
Author
Peña Cantero, A. L.
text
Zootaxa
2015
4052
4
401
441
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4052.4.1
93f6d085-8e63-4d1e-89c1-f950128b2a61
1175-5326
245887
47EF6E9D-9064-4899-B3DD-276FF7C969EB
Oswaldella niobae
Peña Cantero & Ramil, 2006
(
Figs 10
,
16
J, 18B, 20B)
Material examined.
Spanish
Antarctic
Expedition GEBRAP 95:
Stn 5
,
1 January 1997
, 62°52’40’’–
62°52’58’’S
, 59°59’07’’–
59°58’02’’W
(Bransfield Strait),
699–922 m
(
MNCN
2.03/342).
Description.
Monosiphonic, unbranched stems, up to
68 mm
high, divided into internodes. Cauline apophyses with one (
Fig. 10
C) or two axillary nematophores (
Fig. 10
B), each emerging through simple perisarc hole, and, usually, an extra nematophore emerging from ‘mamelon’ (
Fig. 10
B).
Hydrocladia unbranched (
Fig. 10
A) or bifurcated. First hydrocladial internode bifurcated, with two similar prongs. Mesial inferior nematophore emerging from marked swelling at basal half of internode (
Fig. 10
E); without nematotheca (
Fig. 10
D–E). Hydrotheca situated on distal half of internode (
Fig. 10
A, D–E). Hydrotheca low, as high as wide. Abcauline hydrothecal wall straight, angle with long axis of internode ca. 45°. Adcauline wall mostly adnate. Hydrothecal aperture circular, slightly tilted downwards (
Fig. 10
E).
Male
gonotheca fusiform, with subterminal aperture.
Remarks.
Sometimes, there is an intermediate athecate internode following cauline apophyses (
Fig. 10
A). Athecate intermediate internodes have even been observed between thecate internodes (cf.
Peña Cantero & Ramil 2006
).
In the material examined there is variability in the number of nematophores of the cauline apophyses. There can be one or two axillary nematophores. In addition, although typically there is one conspicuous ‘mamelon’, it is absent in some apophyses (
Fig. 10
C).