Sertularella crassicaulis ( Heller, 1868 )

Gravili, Cinzia, Vito, Doris De, Camillo, Cristina Gioia Di, Martell, Luis, Piraino, Stefano & Boero, Ferdinando, 2015, The non-Siphonophoran Hydrozoa (Cnidaria) of Salento, Italy with notes on their life-cycles: an illustrated guide, Zootaxa 3908 (1), pp. 1-187 : 130-131

Sertularella crassicaulis ( Heller, 1868)

Fig. 92 A–C

See Medel et al. (1991) for a complete synonymy.

Material examined. HCUS-S 0 99 (Hydrozoa Collection, University of Salento—fauna of the Salento Peninsula).

Description (based on our own observations; Gili 1986; Medel et al. 1991):

Hydroid. Hydrorhiza as a mass of tubular, branching stolons; colony erect; hydrocauli polysiphonic basally, up to ca 60 mm high, dichotomously branched in different planes, with internodes separated by oblique nodes alternately sloping towards left or right side; hydrocladia similar in structure to hydrocaulus; hydrothecae cylindrical, almost as wide as long, lateral to the axis, alternate, one per internode, adcauline wall 1/2 adnate to the internode, aperture directed to the upper part of the axis. Gonothecae elongated, ovoid, with transverse undulations, apical neck distinct, with 3 cusps.

Cnidome. Microbasic mastigophores.

Habitat type. Species widely distributed from 5 to 50 m ( Boero & Fresi 1986; Gili 1986).

Substrate. Algae, hydroids, gorgonaceans, bryozoans.

Seasonality. January ( Galea 2007; Puce et al. 2009), February ( Stechow 1919; Puce et al. 2009), October ( Stechow 1919; De Vito 2006; this study), and September–April ( Boero & Fresi 1986) in several localities of the Mediterranean Sea; present all year.

Reproductive period. February (Puce et al. 2009), October ( Stechow 1919; De Vito 2006; this study), and October–January ( Boero & Fresi 1986) in several localities of the Mediterranean Sea; April–May (Bouillon et al. 2004).

Distribution. Endemic to the Mediterranean ( Stechow 1919; Picard 1956; Rossi 1961; Gili 1986; Medel & López-González 1996; Medel et al. 1991; Bouillon et al. 2004; Gravili et al. 2008a).

Records in Salento. Rare at Otranto (De Vito 2006; Gravili 2006; Gravili et al. 2008a; this study). Remarks. For more details about the ecology of this species see Gili (1986).

References. Stechow (1919), Picard (1956), Gili (1982, 1986), Boero & Fresi (1986), Medel et al. (1991), Medel & López-González (1996), Piraino et al. (1999), Bouillon et al. (2004), De Vito (2006), Gravili (2006), Galea (2007), Gravili et al. (2008a), Puce et al. (2009).

Figures

FIGURE 92. Sertularella crassicaulis: A, general aspect of a colony; B, male gonotheca; C, female gonotheca (redrawn and modified: A after Medel et al. 1991; B, C after Stechow 1919 by C. G. Di Camillo). Scale bars: A, 2.0 cm; B, 1.0 mm; C, 2.0 mm.