Synthecium protectum Jäderholm, 1903

Synonyms in the area: Synthecium robustum Nutting, 1904b p. 136; Hartlaub 1905 p. 673–674; Ritchie 1907a; Vervoort 1972; Leloup 1974 p. 24–25; Blanco 1976a, 1994a; Blanco & Lunaschi de Redolatti 1978; Stepanjants 1979; El Beshbeeshy 1991, 2011; Genzano 1995; Genzano & Zamponi 1997, 2003; Blanco et al. 2000b; Galea 2007 p. 77–78; Genzano et al. 2009a; [polyp]; Synthecium chilense Hartlaub, 1905 p. 671–673 [polyp].

Distribution in South America: polyp—Pacific Ocean, Chile, from 41.76°S to 53.78°S (Jäderholm 1903 p. 290–291, 1904b p. 4; Nutting 1904 p. 136; Hartlaub 1905 p. 671–674; Leloup 1974 p. 24–25; Galea 2007 p. 77–78; Galea et al. 2009a p. 345; Galea & Schories 2012a p. 24); Atlantic Ocean, Uruguay to Argentina, from 35°S to 55°S (Ritchie 1907a; Vervoort 1972; Blanco 1976a, 1978; Blanco & Lunaschi de Redolatti 1978; Stepanjants 1979; El Beshbeeshy 1991, 2011; Blanco 1994a; Genzano 1995; Genzano & Zamponi 1997, 2003; Blanco et al. 2000b; Genzano et al. 2009a; Miranda et al. 2015).

Habitat: polyp—from intertidal zone to 300m depth, on hard substrates, shells, algae, sponges, mollusks, polychaete tubes (Ritchie 1907a; Vervoort 1972; Leloup 1974 p. 24–25; Blanco 1976a, 1978; Blanco & Lunaschi de Redolatti 1978; Stepanjants 1979; El Beshbeeshy 1991, 2011; Blanco 1994a; Genzano 1995; Blanco et al. 2000b; Galea 2007 p. 77–78; Galea et al. 2009a p. 345; Genzano et al. 2009a).