Additional shallow-water thecate hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from Guadeloupe and Les Saintes, French Lesser Antilles
Author
Galea, Horia R.
text
Zootaxa
2010
2570
1
40
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.197380
623f5942-0074-4d90-b034-a0b102d5a3e6
1175-5326
197380
Hydrodendron
sp.
(fig. 4A–D)
Material examined
.
Stn.9
:
21.11.2009
, 21 m—a few sterile stems, to
3 mm
high, on basal part of stems of
Thyroscyphus marginatus
(
Allman, 1877
)
.
Stn.10
: 0
2.12.2009
, 15–20 m—a few small, sterile colonies, with both stolonal and erect growth forms (to
2 mm
high), on
Halimeda
sp.
Stn.19
:
26.11.2009
, 6 m—minute sterile stems (
1 mm
high) and stolonal hydrothecae on
Dictyota
sp. and basal part of a stem of
Macrorhynchia
sp.
Description
. Two growth forms: sessile hydrothecae and nematothecae arising from creeping stolon, and small erect stems. Erect form with minute, monosiphonic, unbranched, to
3 mm
high stems; composed of a series of up to ten collinear to slightly zigzagging internodes. Nodes alternate, oblique, 40–65 µm wide. Internodes moderately long (185–260 µm), basal-most comparatively longer than following ones; each with bulges at both ends; a short (25–35 µm) apophysis borne on distal half of internode, supporting alternate hydrophores, and a nematotheca above axil formed by apophysis with stem. Hydrophores of variable length, funnel-shaped, carrying distally a hydrotheca (150–245 µm long, including hydrotheca); diaphragm not observed, rim even, margin flaring, 135–145 µm wide. Nematothecae tubular, 90–95 µm long, tapering below; margin slightly flaring, 50–55 µm wide (fig. 4C). Hydranths with
ca
. 14 tentacles, attached to internal wall of hydrotheca by mean of several desmocytes in an oblique row (fig. 4B). Nematophores long, slender, typical of the genus, with terminal capitation. Nematocysts (all seen undischarged): small, egg-shaped capsules (3.1–3.4 × 1.7–2.0 µm), in coenosarc; microbasic mastigophores (5.7–6.3 × 1.8–2.1 µm), in tentacles of hydranth and body of nematophores; slender, ovoid capsules of unidentified
type
(9.1–9.7 × 3.4–3.6 µm), in coenosarc; and large, swollen capsules of unidentified
type
(17.8–20.0 × 8.3–10.0 µm), between adjacent tentacles of hydranth, in nematophore capitations, and also in coenosarc. Gonothecae absent.
Remarks
. The present material is unidentifiable in the absence of gonothecae. The nematothecae are characteristically situated above the axils formed by the stem apophyses and, in this respect, resemble those of
H. dichotomum
(
Allman, 1888
)
,
H. leloupi
Hirohito, 1983
, and
H. sibogae
(
Billard, 1929
)
. The finding of additional, fertile material would certainly allow a confident identification.