Eudendrium sp.

Watson, Jeanette W., 2003, Deep-water hydroids (Hydrozoa: Leptolida) from Macquarie Island, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 60 (2), pp. 151-180 : 155

Eudendrium sp.

Figures 4A–C

Material examined. Stn 44, NMV F91310, many sparsely fertile colonies intergrown with Eudendrium deforme on a dead branch of primnoid gorgonian, specimen alcohol-preserved.

Description. Colonies short, arborescent and shrubby, the largest 20 mm high and 20 mm wide. Main stem and branches strongly fascicled, branching irregular in many planes, polysiphonic tubes running up branches to distal region, ultimate branchlets (pedicels) monosiphonic, 0.1 mm in diameter, base of pedicel with up to 20 annulations, perisarc thereafter smooth to faintly corrugated.

Few hydranths remain, all in poor condition; small, with 12–14 moderately long tentacles.

Nematocysts small euryteles in tentacles and coenosarc, droplet-shaped, capsule 8.5 X 4.5 µm, undischarged.

Male gonophores borne on a short, basally annulated pedicel; a small cluster in series of 3 or 4 surrounding a completely resorbed hydranth.

Colour. Lower stems pale honey-brown, fading to almost transparent on ultimate branches; hydranths white.

Remarks. While the small, shrubby colony with male gonophores surrounding a completely atrophied hydranth reduces the possible matches with known species, in the absence of hydranths and female gonophores and details of the cnidome, identification is not taken further.

Figures

Figures 4A–C. Eudendrium spec., stn 44. A, colony on dead branch of primnoid gorgonian, stn 44. B, cluster of male gonophores. C, undischarged nematocyst, probably eurytele; in tentacles and coernosarc. Scale bar: A, 20 mm; B, 0.5 mm; C, 10 µm.