Liriope tetraphylla ( Chamisso & Eysenhardt, 1821 )

Buecher, Emmanuelle, Goy, Jacqueline, J, Mark & Gibbons, 2005, Hydromedusae of the Agulhas Current, African Invertebrates 46, pp. 27-69 : 35

Liriope tetraphylla ( Chamisso & Eysenhardt, 1821)

Geryonia tetraphylla: Chamisso & Eysenhardt 1821: 357 , pl. 27, fig. 2.

Liriope cerasiformis: Lesson 1843: 332 .

Liriope tetraphylla: Gegenbaur 1857: 257 ; Kramp 1961: 238; 1968: 122, fig. 333.

Description: 822 specimens from 88 stations. Essentially hemispherical umbrella, flattened at apex, broader than tall; up to 20 mm in diameter. Exumbrella surface smooth. Mesoglea relatively thick. Velum broad. Peripheral canal and four radial canals present; up to four centripetal canals between radial canals. With four tentacles when mature, each arising from umbrella margin opposite radial canal (perradial), long(ish), hollow and characteristically banded. With four secondary tentacles on umbrella margin, short and solid. Mouth with four simple lips; on long (greater than depth of umbrella) conical gastric peduncle. Up to eight statocysts present. Gonads broad and flat, may be roundish and leaf-like, of irregular shape; situated along radial canals.

Material examined: H4993, H4994, H4995, H4996.

Comments: This is the only species in this genus.

Distribution: World-wide in temperate waters. Previously reported from the east coast of Africa (Kramp 1957) and the Chagos (Browne 1916) and Seychelles (Bouillon 1978 b) archipelagos. Epipelagic.