Haleciidae, Hincks, 1869

Castro Mendonça, Luana M., Parisotto Guimarães, Carmen R. & Haddad, Maria A., 2022, Taxonomy and diversity of hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil, Zoologia (e 21032) 39, pp. 1-65 : 30

Haleciidae sp. 2

Fig. 15C–E

Description: Colonies erect, up to 22.8 mm high, arising from a creeping hydrorhiza. Stem monosiphonic, with hydrotheca arising alternately from the stem or irregular ramification. Perisarc is moderately thick, with annulations at the beginning of the stem, in all the segments that carry hydrothecae, and less frequently, at the beginning of the branches. Hydrothecae shallow, 47–64 µm high, 100–153 µm wide, with a desmocyte ring above the diaphragm. Primary hydrothecae sessile, secondary and tertiary ones arising from pedicels of variable heights.

Material examined: PCS – few infertile colonies from the dry and rainy seasons; VB – one infertile colony from the dry season.

Stations: PCS – 4, 5, 11, 12, 18; VB – C2P34.

Bottom: gravel and sand.

Taxonomic remarks:The colony structure resembles Nemalecium lighti , however, the absence of hydranths and gonotheca did not allow a better identification for this material.

Remarks: Colonizing algae and Bryozoa.

Figures

Figure 15. (A-B) Haleciidae sp. 1: (A) detail of a polyp with a gonotheca; (B) detail of a polyp with an expanded hydranth; (C-E) Haleciidae sp. 2: (C) detail of a stem showing a hydranth; (D) detail of a stem ramification; (E) detail of the distal region of a stem; (F-H) Halecium pusillum: (F) general view of a stem; (G) detail of a stem with two male gonothecae; (H) detail of a stem with a female gonotheca.