Clytia simplex ( Browne, 1902 )

Galea, Horia R., 2007, Hydroids and hydromedusae (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from the fjords region of southern Chile, Zootaxa 1597 (1), pp. 1-116 : 90-91

Clytia simplex ( Browne, 1902)

(fig. 21A–D, pl. 2L)

Cosmetira simplex Browne, 1902: 34 , pl.1 figs 6–8; 1908: 236.

Phialidium simplex: Kramp, 1959: 149 , fig. 189; 1961: 171; 1968: 77, fig. 202; Fagetti, 1973: 40.

Clytia simplex: Pagès et al., 1992: 33 , fig. 36; Palma et al., 2007: 73.

not Clytia simplex Congdon, 1907: 471 , figs 14–15.

Material examined. Plankton —off the Huinay Scientific Field Station, 05, 07, 09, 11, 18, 19.ii.2006, night haul, 50–0 m, several medusae.

Type locality. Stanley Harbour , Falkland Islands .

Description. Umbrella watchglass-shaped to nearly hemispherical during swimming, up to 8 mm in

diameter. With four radial canals and ring canal. Manubrium short to moderately long, with four lobe-like perradial folds, with no peduncle; mouth with four large, crenulated lips. Gonads borne on radial canals; in earlier stages forming small, oval patches about halfway along the radial canals, then becoming removed towards umbrella margin, but never reaching ring canal. Fully developed gonads, elongated, slightly folded, pendent, with median groove, abouth 1/3–1/2 the length of radial canals; distal part becoming free and hanging down from subumbrellar cavity. Bell margin with up to 32 hollow marginal tentacles, borne on prominent basal bulbs; a few young bulbs equally present. One or two marginal statocysts, each with one statolith, between two successive tentacles. Gonads, manubrium, radial canals, marginal bulbs and tentacles green pale in color.

Remarks. Adult medusae up to 22 mm wide, with 60–85 marginal tentacles, were described by Kramp (1959, 1968). The present specimens have probably not reached their maximum size, because both the umbrella diameter and the tentacle number are inferior to those described by Kramp. The hydroid stage of C. simplex is still unknown. This species was collected only from night hauls and was absent in all plankton samples collected during the day.

World distribution. Clytia simplex has been recorded from the southern hemisphere, from the Strait of Magellan (Pagès & Orajas 1999), Falkland Islands, southern Brazil, Bismark Sea ( Pagès et al. 1992), Campbell Island ( Kramp 1968).

Records from Chile. In the present material, the medusae of this species were found in great number in fjord Comau. Additional records are those of Fagetti (1973) from the Valparaíso Bay, and Palma et al. (2007) from the southern channels (between the Gulf of Corcovado and the Pulluche-Chacabuco Channels).