Eudendrium ramosum (Linneaus 1758) Linneaus 1758
- Dataset
- The non-Siphonophoran Hydrozoa (Cnidaria) of Salento, Italy with notes on their life-cycles: an illustrated guide
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Cnidaria
- class
- Hydrozoa
- order
- Anthoathecata
- family
- Eudendriidae
- genus
- Eudendrium
- species
- Eudendrium ramosum
discussion
Remarks. The colonies are stout in shallow water and more slender in deeper waters (Boero & Fresi 1986). Schuchert (2008 b) synonymized E. elsaeoswaldae Stechow, 1921 with E. ramosum (Linnaeus, 1758).
distribution
Distribution. Cosmopolitan (Boero & Cornelius 1987; Morri et al. 1991; Marinopoulos 1992; Medel & López-González 1996; Marques et al. 2000 a, b; Schuchert 2001 a, 2008 b; Peña Cantero & García Carrascosa 2002; Vervoort 2006; Gravili et al. 2008 a). Records in Salento. Moderately frequent in the following localities: La Rotonda (Presicce 1991); Porto Cesareo (Faucci & Boero 2000); Otranto (De Vito 2006; Gravili 2006; Gravili et al. 2008 a; Piraino et al. 2013; this study).
materials_examined
Material examined. HCUS-S 0 27 (Hydrozoa Collection, University of Salento — fauna of the Salento Peninsula). Description (based on our own observations; Marques et al. 2000 a; Schuchert 2008 b, 2012): Hydroid. Colonies erect, up to 175 mm; hydrocauli basally polysiphonic, sometimes slender and flexuous with roughly alternate hydrocladia, sometimes stiff and bushy, branching irregularly, with smooth perisarc, annulated above origin of hydrocladia and also elsewhere; hydrocladia monosiphonic; hydranths on basally ringed pedicel; hypostome flared; with 14 – 30 filiform tentacles. Gonophores as fixed sporosacs, borne on hydranths with atrophied tentacles to a varying degree, females up to seven per gonozooid, with unbranched spadix, encapsulated embryos attached along pedicel; males up to five per hydranth, with 1 – 2 chambers. Colours: female gonophores orange-red; male ones with red spadix. Colour: hydranths reddish. Cnidome. Large heterotrichous microbasic euryteles (22.2 – 28.0 x 8.7 – 13.3 µm) on hypostome, lower part of hydranth, and on hydrocaulus; shaft thin, about 2 / 3 to 3 / 4 length of capsule, increasing in diameter distally but not coiled when undischarged; small heterotrichous microbasic euryteles on tentacles and ectoderm (5.8 x 2.7 to 8.4 x 4.2 mm). Habitat type. The colonies grow on several solid substrata, such as hard bottom biogenic banks and coralligenous ledges (Rossi 1961; Boero 1981 a, b, 1983; Marinopoulos 1981; Boero & Fresi 1986; Roca et al. 1991; Morri & Bianchi 1999; Morri et al. 1999; Piraino et al. 1999; Faucci & Boero 2000; Puce et al. 2009). Along the European coasts occurring usually from shallow depths to about 80 m (Peña Cantero & García Carrascosa 2002). Substrate. Rock, concretions, algae, Posidonia rhizomes, Cymodocea nodosa meadow, hydroids, barnacles, sponges (Ircinia sp.). Seasonality. In the Ligurian Sea (Boero & Fresi 1986; Puce et al. 2009), and in Salento waters (De Vito 2006; this study) colonies occur all year. Reproductive period. In the western Mediterranean Sea from July to February (Boero & Fresi 1986), September (Marques et al. 2000 a; Puce et al. 2009), July, August (Peña Cantero & García Carrascosa 2002); in Salento waters from March to June (De Vito 2006; this study).