Plumularia floridana Nutting, 1900

Estrada-González, Mariae C., Agüero, José & Mendoza-Becerril, María A., 2023, Medusozoans from the Mexican Pacific: a review based on historical literature and recent observations, Journal of Natural History 57 (1), pp. 784-853 : 828

Plumularia floridana Nutting, 1900

( Figure 7E, F )

Material examined

2 colonies, polyp, without gonophores; Punta Diablo, La Paz Bay , Baja California Sur, 24.316°N, 110.340°W; depth 0–1 m; 7 May 2017; on crustose coralline algae and rock; ECO-CH-Z 11751 . – 3 colonies, polyp, without gonophores; Punta Diablo, La Paz Bay , Baja California Sur, 24.316°N, 110.340°W; depth 9.75 m; 14 September 2017; on the alga Amphiroa sp ., coral, and rock; ECO-CH-Z 11757 . – 1 colony, polyp, without gonophores; Agua de Yepiz, La Paz Bay , Baja California Sur, 24.288°N, 110.630°W; depth 0–1 m; 24 June 2018; unknow substrate; ECO-CH-Z 11792 .

Identification (after Migotto 1996; Calder 1997)

Colonies erect; hydrocaulus monosiphonic, alternately branched, divided into internodes by transverse nodes. Internodes with a distal hydrocladial apophysis, a mamelon, two distinct septa, two nematothecae, one in medial position to the internode, and one axillary. Hydrocladia unbranched, divided into athecate and thecate internodes by oblique nodes proximally and transverse nodes distally. Each internode with two distinct internodal septa; athecate internodes short, bearing one nematotheca except for the first internode; thecate internodes large bearing a hydrotheca and three nematothecae, one median inferior and one pair lateral. Hydrothecae with margin entire.

Distribution

Previously recorded on the west coast of the Gulf of California, Baja California Sur ( Mendoza-Becerril et al. 2020), and for the rest of the gulf in Nayarit ( Fraser 1948). In the MP, it has been recorded off the coasts of Baja California, Guerrero, and Oaxaca ( Fraser 1938a; Salcedo-Martínez et al. 1988).

Remarks

Three colonies present morphological variations previously described for the species ( Migotto 1996; Calder 1997). Two colonies of the labelled sample PD_11 with three nematothecae on the hydrocaulus, one in medial position to internode, and two axillary. One colony of the labelled sample PD_4 with a branched hydrocladium, resembling hydrocaulus arising from apophysis and replacing hydrocladium.

Figures

Figure 7. (A, B) Ventromma halecioides (Alder, 1859): A, hydrocaulus; B, hydrotheca. (C, D) Monotheca flexuosa (Bale, 1894): C, hydrocaulus; D, hydrotheca. (E, F) Plumularia floridana Nutting, 1900: E, hydrocaulus; F, hydrotheca. (G, H) Dynamena crisioides Lamouroux, 1824: G, colony; H, hydrotheca. (I, J) Dynamena disticha (Bosc, 1802): I, colony; J, hydrotheca. (K, L) Pasya quadridentata (Ellis and Solander, 1786): K, colony; L, gonotheca. Scale bars: A, H, I, K, L = 500 μm; B, D = 100 μm; C, E = 250 μm; F, J = 200 μm; G = 1 cm. Drawings made by Nicholas Bezio.