Eurhamphaea vexilligera Gegenbaur, 1856

Gueroun, Sonia Km, Schäfer, Susanne, Gizzi, Francesca, Álvarez, Soledad, Monteiro, João Gama, Andrade, Carlos & Canning-Clode, João, 2021, Planktonic Ctenophora of the Madeira Archipelago (Northeastern Atlantic), Zootaxa 5081 (3), pp. 433-443 : 435-436

Eurhamphaea vexilligera Gegenbaur, 1856

( Table 1 , Fig. 2 )

Synonym: Mnemia elegans M. Sars, 1856

Examined material: East coast of Ilhéu da Cal, Porto Santo Island , 33°00’18”N 16°22’13”W and 33°00’19”N 16°22’13.08”W. Several adults were observed during SCUBA diving, and two individuals were collected between 2 and 6 m depth . In Porto Santo harbour (33°3’45”N 16°18’59”W), one specimen was collected at the sea surface (0.5 m depth) .

Description: Overall, body length of the sampled specimens varied from three to six cm. The biggest specimen, around 10 cm, was observed in situ (West coast of Ilhéu da Cal, 33°00’13”N 16°23’34”W). The body was elongated, narrow with a noticeable compression in the tentacular axis ( Fig. 2A ). Two horn-shaped processes terminating in the long flexible filament are drawn out at the aboral apex ( Fig. 2B ). Subtentacular ctene rows extend onto these processes. Reddish-brown ink vesicles with bioluminescent properties follow the path of the substomodeal meridional canals ( Fig. 2C ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Eurhamphaea vexilligera Gegenbaur, 1856. A, total view of an adult in the stomodaeal plane; B, view of the aboral portion of the body in the stomodaeal plane; C, view of a body section in the stomodaeal plane. Legends: a.f, aboral process/ filament; ap, apical horn-shape; au, auricle; i.v, ink vesicle; mo, mouth; ss.c, substomdaeal ctene row; ss.mc, substomodaeal meridional canal; sta, statocysts; st.cr, subtentacular ctene row; st, stomodaeum (pharynx). Photo credits: S.K.M Gueroun