Symplectoscyphus flexilis ( Hartlaub, 1901 )

Galea, Horia R. & Schories, Dirk, 2012, Some hydrozoans (Cnidaria) from Central Chile and the Strait of Magellan, Zootaxa 3296, pp. 19-67 : 48-50

Symplectoscyphus flexilis ( Hartlaub, 1901)

(fig. 6A–C, table 6)

Sertularella flexilis Hartlaub, 1901: 44 , pl. 3 fig. 2, pl. 4 fig. 28.

Symplectoscyphus flexilis — Vervoort, 1972: 168, figs 55, 57A. — Blanco, 1980: 197, figs 1–5. Symplectoscyphus glacialis — Blanco, 1967a: 265, pl. 4 figs 3–6, 9–12 [not S. glacialis (Jäderholm, 1904) ]. Symplectoscyphus modestus — Blanco, 1976: 44, pl. 4 figs 4–6 [not S. modestus ( Hartlaub, 1901) ].

Material examined. Stn. RHO — 01.xi.2009, DS279 (25 m): an infertile colony on seaweed (MHNG-INVE- 79633).

Description. Colony arising from tubular, creeping, branching stolon. Erect stems up to 2.5 cm high, monosiphonic, unbranched or sparingly branched. Perisarc rather thick. Basal parts of stems very short, with a few perisarc wrinkles above origin from stolon. Stems and branches of similar structure; divided into internodes by oblique constrictions of the perisarc, giving them a geniculate appearance. Internodes of moderate length, about two times the length of the adnate part of hydrotheca; one hydrotheca per internode, distally placed, alternate in position. Side branches arising from below a stem hydrotheca, either in front or on the rear side of stem; basalmost internode borne on a short (150–300 µm) quadrangular segment attached to stem below the base of a hydrotheca. The latter tubular, half of their length adnate; free adcauline side convex for most of its length, distally distinctly curved upwards; adnate side straight to slightly curved; abcauline side gently swollen basally, followed by inflexion point in middle, then straight towards aperture. Aperture with three pointed cusps separated by wide, moderately deep embayments. Margin often renovated.

Remarks. We share the opinion of Vervoort (1972) that Blanco's (1967a) material assigned to S. glacialis (Jäderholm, 1904) belongs to the present species. Later, Blanco (1976) incorrectly reported S. modestus ( Hartlaub, 1901) and included in its synonymy her earlier record of S. glacialis . In our opinion, the latter material also belongs to S. flexilis . Gonothecae of this species were described and illustrated by Blanco (1967a, 1976, 1980).

Distribution in Chile. Calbuco (type locality, Hartlaub 1901), Punta de Choros (present study).

Present study Blanco (1967a), Vervoort (1972) Blanco (1976), Blanco (1980)

as S. glacialis as S. modestus Internodes

– length 540–860 423–846 475–610 515–552 570–620 World records. Off Peninsula Valdes, Argentina [ Blanco 1967a (as S. glacialis ), Vervoort 1972, Blanco 1980], off Buenos Aires province ( Blanco 1976).