Heterocoryne caribbensis Welder & Larson, 1986

Galea, Horia R., 2013, New additions to the shallow-water hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) of the French Lesser Antilles: Martinique, Zootaxa 3686 (1), pp. 1-50 : 9

Heterocoryne caribbensis Welder & Larson, 1986

(Pl. 1G–I; Fig. 2M)

Heterocoryne caribbensis Wedler & Larson, 1986: 75 , fig. 2.― Petersen, 1990: 132.

Material examined. Stn. 2, 22.ii.2012, 3– 13 m, M243: a fertile colony on sponge (MHNG-INVE-82911).

Remarks. After its description by Wedler & Larson (1986), Petersen (1990) discussed the relationship between Sphaerocoryne Pictet, 1893 and Heterocoryne Wedler & Larson, 1986 , indicating that the trophosome of the latter is solely distinguished from the former through its trifid arrangement of the tentacles (Pl. 1I). The cnidome of the polyp (not previously reported) is composed of: 1) small [(10.3–11.0)×(6.5–6.8) µm] and large [(17.8–18.7)×(12.6–13.5) µm] stenoteles; 2) desmonemes, (8.2–8.4)×(4.4–4.9) µm. No nematocysts could be found in the medusoid.

Geographical distribution. Puerto Rico ( Wedler & Larson 1986), Guadeloupe (Galea, unpublished results), Martinique (present study).