Niobia dendrotentaculata Mayer

Nagata, Renato Mitsuo, Júnior, Miodeli Nogueira & Haddad, Maria Angélica, 2014, Faunistic survey of Hydromedusae (Cnidaria, Medusozoa) from the coast of Paraná State, Southern Brazil, Zootaxa 3768 (3), pp. 291-326 : 296

Niobia dendrotentaculata Mayer

( Fig. 5 )

References consulted. Mayer 1910: 187–188, pl. 19, fig. 1–5. Kramp 1961: 110. Goy 1979: 274, fig. 10. Bouillon 1999: 413, fig. 3.30. Bouillon et al. 2004: 66, fig. 40 A. Tronolone 2007: 47–48, figs 2.15–2.16.

Material. Municipality of Pontal do Paraná, Balneário de Praia de Leste (25º46’32”S – 48º12’15”W): 22/12/ 1997 — 4 specimens; (25º50’25”S – 47º55’80”W): 24/02/1999 — 1 specimen.

Reference specimens deposited. Dzoo-Cn 244, 2 specimens.

World distribution. In the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans ( Kramp 1961).

Distribution in Brazil. From the state of São Paulo to Rio Grande do Sul (Navas-Pereira 1981; Tronolone 2007).

Description. Umbrella flat to lens-shaped, 0.62–2.25 mm in diameter. Short manubrium. Without mesenteries, ocelli and gastric peduncle. 4 radial canals, two simple and two bifurcated, six canals reaching the circular canal. Interradial gonads developed on manubrium. Tentacular bulbs usually of different shapes and sizes ( Fig. 5 ). These bulbs develop into new medusae sequentially, by a process of budding. One specimen, 1 mm in diameter, with an advanced stage of budding, had developing buds with half its size. Most individuals with damaged margin, with 4 tentacular bulbs (maximum 6) of varying sizes, 3–4 larger ones, and some rudimentary in development ( Fig. 5 ). Number of bulbs is usually 12 for larger individuals (> 4 mm) ( Bouillon 1999).

Systematic remarks. The family Niobiidae is monotypic. The single species is easily recognized by the number and branching pattern of radial canals, which are visible even in very damaged specimens. The shape of tentacular bulbs of different sizes is also characteristic of the species ( Bouillon 1999).

Biological data. The hydroid is unknown. Mayer (1910) described the budding process from tentacular bulbs. It is an unusual species on the inner shelf of Paraná.

Figures

FIGURE 2 – 5. Bougainvillia frondosa Mayer: lateral view of Dzoo-Cn 255 (2), lateral view of other specimen (3); Bougainvillia pagesi Nogueira, Rodriguez, Mianzan, Haddad & Genzano: lateral view of holotype, MZUSP 1480, modified from Nogueira et al. (2013) (4); Niobia dendrotentaculata Mayer: Oral view, Dzoo-Cn 244 (5).