Cunina globosa Eschscholtz, 1829

Buecher, Emmanuelle, Goy, Jacqueline, J, Mark & Gibbons, 2005, Hydromedusae of the Agulhas Current, African Invertebrates 46, pp. 27-69 : 31

Cunina globosa Eschscholtz, 1829

Cunina globosa: Eschscholtz 1829: 117 , pl. 9, figs 3a–c; Kramp 1961: 281; 1968: 129, fig. 350.

Description: 11 immature specimens from six stations. Hemispherical umbrella, slightly broader than tall, up to 8 mm in diameter. Exumbrella surface smooth. Mesoglea thickened. Velum broad. 12 equally-well developed peronia; 12 marginal lappets short, square. 12 tentacles arising from within mesoglea, at centre of each gastric pouch, short, solid and characteristically banded. Without secondary tentacles on umbrella margin (but see Pagès et al. 1992, fig. 45). Mouth simple, circular. 12 wide quadrangular gastric pouches, not extending beyond level of tentacles ventrad. Peripheral canal present. Three statocysts per marginal lappet; otoporpae present, short, oval. When mature, gonads associated with gastric pouches.

Material examined: H4983.

Comments: The ten recognised and named species of the genus Cunina (Bouillon & Boero 2000 b) can be separated by a combination of features including overall body shape, the presence/absence and size of peripheral canals, the number and shape of the gastric pouches, the number of statocysts per marginal lappet, and the number, size and shape of the otoporpae. Some species may also possess ectodermal pads at the base of tentacles. Aside from C. peregrina H.B. Bigelow, 1909 (below), three other species of Cunina have been collected in the west Indian Ocean (see Kramp 1957): C. duplicata Maas, 1893 (minute otoporpae; up to 29, well separated tongue-shaped gastric pouches; transverse portion of peripheral canal narrower than lateral portion); C. frugifera Kramp, 1948 (linear otoporpae; between 6–9 well separated triangular stomach pouches; peripheral canal uniformly broad); and C. octonaria McCrady, 1857 (otoporpae small; 7–9 close-set rectangular stomach pouches; peripheral canal absent).

Distribution: World-wide but scattered in tropical and temperate waters. Previously caught near the Cape of Good Hope (Kramp 1957). This is the first record from the west Indian Ocean. Epipelagic.