Campanulariidae Johnston, 1836

Cantero, Álvaro Luis Peña, 2024, Fig. 4 in Positive association between PTN polymorphisms and schizophrenia in Northeast Chinese Han population., Zoological Studies 63 (17), pp. 141-149 : 11-15

Family Campanulariidae Johnston, 1836 Tulpa tulipifera ( Allman, 1888)

( Fig. 9 A−C)

Tulpa diverticula – Watson, 2003: 173−174, fig. 24A–D.

Material examined: Stn 98, several hydrothecae and stems up to 2 0 mm high, with incomplete gonothecae, growing on Eudendrium sp. and on the axis of a gorgonian ( NIWA 131357).

Description: Stolons on substrate giving rise to long pedicels with a single distal hydrotheca or unbranched monosiphonic stems up to 20 mm high. Stems with one distal hydrotheca and a series of up to six hydrothecae, on short pedicels, arranged in an alternate, almost unilateral pattern; some pedicels with regeneration joints. Hydrothecae tubular, almost cylindrical, diameter increasing markedly at diaphragm, then roughly constant and finally widening at distal part; maximum diameter at aperture. Hydrothecal wall with a series of longitudinal facets fading basally. Inner hydrothecal wall with marked perisarc keels running down from rim. Hydrothecal aperture uneven, with 12 weakly marked cusps.

Gonothecae incomplete, conical, on both stems and stolons growing on substrate.

Measurements (in µm): Stolon: diameter 400. Pedicel: length 1200. Hydrotheca: height 2900−3800, diameter at aperture 960−1200, diameter at diaphragm 280−300. Gonothecae (incomplete): height 1300−1400, maximum diameter 700−900.

Remarks: It is my opinion that the material assigned to Tulpa diverticulata Totton, 1930 by Watson (2003) does not belong to Totton’s species as it lacks the characteristic diverticula described by Totton (1930). Instead, it appears to be conspecific with the present material, with which it agrees in the shape and size of the hydrotheca and the presence of internal keels; according to Watson (2003: 174) “usually six to eight faint pleats extending partially or completely down into hydrotheca from embayments between crenulations.”

Present material is assigned to T. tulipifera due to the presence of stems, the absence of diverticula, and the shape and size of the hydrotheca.

According to Bouillon et al. (2006), the classification of the Campanulariidae is unsatisfactory, and the generic divisions are not well defined, with many genera very close to each other, such as Tulpa Stechow and Campanularia Lamarck. Although they indicated that these genera, among other pairs, could be treated as synonyms without great difficulty, they kept both separate, as has been done traditionally ( Totton 1930; Stepanjants 1979; Calder 1991) or more recently ( Soto Àngel and Peña Cantero 2015; Oliveira et al. 2016; Cunha et al. 2017). In my opinion, Tulpa and Campanularia are easily distinguishable by the absence of a sub-hydrothecal spherule in the former. Additionally, hydrothecae of Tulpa species are very deep and large, typically much larger than those of Campanularia , and the rim of the hydrothecal aperture is undulating and turned outward, giving the hydrotheca a tulip-shaped appearance. Finally, while colonies are typically stolonal in Campanularia , seldom erect and branched, they are stolonal or erect and branched in Tulpa ( Bouillon et al. 2006) .

Ecology and distribution: In the area of study, Tulpa tulipifera has been collected at depths from 453 to 1064 m ( Watson 2003, as T. diverticulata ); present material between 676 and 750 m.

Watson (2003) reported the species north and south of Macquarie Island. Present material was collected from Seamount 9 Hjort, south of Macquarie Island.

Figures

Fig. 9. Tulpa tulipifera (Allman, 1888): A, hydrotheca and pedicel; B, distal part of hydrotheca showing aperture; C, incomplete gonotheca. Calamphora quadrispinosa Watson, 2003: D, hydrotheca; E, distal part of hydrotheca showing aperture; F, gonotheca. Sertularella sp.: G, stem; H−I, stem fragments showing hydrothecae and origin of branch; J, fragment of stem showing longitudinal striation. Scale bars: A, G = 3 mm; B−F, H−I = 200 μm; J = 100 μm.