Pennaria disticha Goldfuss, 1820

(Figure 4C)

Material examined

3 colonies, polyp, without gonophores; Punta Diablo, La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur, 24.316°N, 110.340°W; depth 0–1 m; 7 May 2017; on the alga Valionopsis pachynema, crustose coralline algae, and rock; ECO-CH-Z 11748 . – 1 colony, polyp, without gonophores; El Mogote Sand Bar, La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur, 24.159°N, 110.341°W; depth 0– 2 m; 1 July 2019; on ascidian and sponge; ECO-CH-Z 11798 .

Identification (after Calder 1988)

Colonies erect; hydrocaulus monosiphonic, alternately branched, divided into internodes by annulations. Each internode supporting a branch distally. Hydrocladia divided into internodes by annulations, each with a distal unbranched and annulated ramulus that supports a hydranth. Perisarc terminating abruptly below hydranths. Hydranth pearshaped, with a whorl of filiform aboral tentacles and two whorls of short capitate tentacles.

Distribution

New record for the Gulf of California. In the MP, it has been recorded from the coast of Oaxaca (Humara-Gil and Cruz-Gómez 2018) .

Remarks

This species is cryptic; Miglietta et al. (2018) detected several clades with broad ranges of geographic distributions. Integrative taxonomic studies may help elucidate possible differences within these clades.