Halecium antarcticum Vanhoffen 1910

Dataset
Benthic hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica): Rank
SPECIES

Classification

kingdom
Animalia: phylum
Cnidaria: class
Hydrozoa: order
Leptothecata: family
Haleciidae: genus
Halecium: species
Halecium antarcticum

biology_ecology

Ecology and distribution. Species reported from 45 (Watson 2008) to 1157 m (Peña Cantero 2014 a); present material was collected between 254 and 758 m. Species reported exclusively from East Antarctica (Peña Cantero 2014 b). Thus, if confirmed, present record will constitute the first evidence from the Weddell Sea as well as for West Antarctica, pointing to a circum-Antarctic distribution.

description

(Fig. 13 a)

discussion

Remarks. The great resemblance between Halecium antarcticum and H. pseudodelicatulum makes both species almost indistinguishable in the absence of gonothecae (see Peña Cantero 2014 b). The material examined here has been tentatively assigned to H. antarcticum based on the disposition of the hydrophore, pointing more outwards than in H. pseudodelicatulum (Fig. 13 a, j).

materials_examined

Material examined. ANT XV / 3: 48 - 150, three stems, c. 70, 75 and 110 mm high; 48 - 237, some stems, up to 25 mm high, on Sc. nana; 48 - 276, two stems, 40 and 60 mm high.

Name

Homonyms: Halecium antarcticum Vanhoffen 1910