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Zancleopsis cabela. Polyps from A) Saudi Arabia and B, C) Maldives. D) Tentacle with terminal and sub-terminal capitula. E) Maldivian polyp with medusa buds. F) Large stenoteles (ls), medium-sized stenoteles (ms), small stenoteles (ss), and desmonemes (d). G) small stenoteles (ss) and microbasic euryteles (e). H, I) Female and male medusae, respectively. Details of J) manubrium with female gonads and K) tentacles. Scale bars: A-C, E) 0.2 mm; D) 50 μm; F, G) 5 μm; H-K) ~ 1 mm.
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An integrated approach using morphological and genetic data is needed to disentangle taxonomic uncertainties affecting the hydrozoan families Sphaerocorynidae and Zancleopsidae. Here we used this approach to accurately characterise species in these families, identify the previously unknown polyp stages of the genera Euphysilla and Zancleopsis, whic...
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... For each taxon, datasets were assembled using relevant sequences from GenBank (see accession numbers in phylogenetic hypotheses) based on previous phylogenetic works (e.g. Cartwright et al. 2008;Nawrocki et al. 2013;Maronna et al. 2016;Boissin et al. 2018;Galea & Schuchert 2021;Maggioni et al. 2021Maggioni et al. , 2022. To assess evolutionary relationships with species belonging to the same genus or family, phylogenetic hypotheses were reconstructed using both Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) as described in . ...
The present study provides a morphological account of six tropical hydroids, of which four are described as new. Halecium turbinariae sp. nov. grows exclusively on brown algae of the genus Turbinaria (Phaeophyceae: Fucales), and contains numerous zooxanthellae in its coenosarc. Nemalecium caeruleus sp. nov. occurs in a peculiar ecological niche, viz. the crevices of scleractinian corals, and is distinguished from its congeners by its sympodial mode of branching and an original, bluish-fluorescent sheen of its polyps. Antennella flava sp. nov. belongs to the A. secundaria (Gmelin, 1791) species group, but its tissues are abundantly filled with zooxanthellae, conferring it a striking yellow coloration. Macrorhynchia fallax sp. nov. imitates the fine morphology of M. philippina Kirchenpauer, 1872, although live specimens lack the characteristic irisation of the cladia met with in the latter. The peculiar, decapod crab-associated Corymorpha balssi Stechow, 1932, so far only known from the original account, is rediscovered and redescribed based on its hydroid stage and the ready-to-detach medusae. According to the morphological features of the latter, C. bitungensis (Xu, Huang & Guo, 2013), and possibly C. juliephillipsi (Gershwin et al., 2010), are considered the mature medusa stages of the same species, and are regarded as potential junior synonyms. The controversial synonymy of Tridentata borneensis (Billard, 1925) is addressed based on the examination of new material and its comparison with part of the type series, supplemented by the reinspection of the types of several nominal species subjectively assigned earlier to its synonymy. The distinctive sculpture of the hydrothecal wall leaves little doubt that it has a recent junior synonym, viz. Sertularia vervoorti Migotto & Calder, 1998, syn. nov. Conversely, the following taxa are removed from its synonymy upon the reevaluation of their taxonomic statuses: 1) Thuiaria maldivensis Borradaile, 1905 is a valid species that has a junior synonym, namely Pasythea heterodonta Jarvis, 1922 (now Dynamena), syn. nov., the former being henceforth referred to as Dynamena maldivensis (Borradaile, 1905), comb. nov., on the account of its polyps lacking an abcauline caecum; 2) Tridentata westindica Stechow, 1919, syn. nov., is a junior synonym of Tridentata turbinata (Lamouroux, 1816); 3) Sertularia tongensis Stechow, 1919 is a valid species that has a recent junior synonym, viz. Sertularia orthogonalis Gibbons & Ryland (1989), syn. nov.; 4) Sertularia tumida Allman, 1877, whose type is reportedly lost, is removed from the synonymy of Billard’s (1925a) species, on the account on its much longer internodes; 5) Sertularia malayensis var. sorongensis Leloup, 1930 remains a subjective junior synonym; 6) also reexamined was type material of the littleknown, not formerly illustrated Tridentata occulta Stechow, 1926, syn. nov. of Amphisbetia distans (Lamouroux, 1816). Additionally, we provide single- (16S rRNA or COI) and multi-locus (16S, 18S and 28S rRNA) phylogenetic analyses for many families of athecate and thecate hydroids, including at least 57 species from Bali, with 25 nominal species characterized genetically for the first time. Halecium halecinum var. minor Pictet, 1893 is raised to species, as H. minor Pictet, 1893, nov. status, on both morphological and molecular grounds. Campanularia spinulosa Bale, 1888 is assigned to the genus Obelia Péron & Lesueur, 1810, as O. spinulosa (Bale, 1888), based on its genetic affinities.
... This class has been estimated to be the second most species-rich within Cnidaria, after Anthozoa (Appeltans et al., 2012), and new taxa are continually being added (e.g. Toshino et al., 2019;Galea and Maggioni, 2020;Maggioni et al., 2021;T€ odter et al., 2023). Yet, part of its diversity is still unknown (Appeltans et al., 2012), also as a consequence of the pervasive occurrence of morphologically cryptic species (Postaire et al., 2016(Postaire et al., , 2017Maggioni et al., 2020aMaggioni et al., , 2022a. ...
... Despite several taxonomic and systematic issues being clarified by Nawrocki et al. (2010), some relationships are still uncertain and many genera and species are currently lacking DNA data. Zancleida, on the other hand, shows a greater family and genus diversity, and some recent works focused on the diversity and evolution of certain families or clades (Miglietta et al., 2019;Maggioni et al., 2021Maggioni et al., , 2022b. A striking example of taxonomic and systematic uncertainties in Zancleida is represented by the family Zancleidae Russell, 1953, the most diverse of the clade, which has been demonstrated to be polyphyletic and to contain several cryptic species (Maggioni et al., , 2020a(Maggioni et al., , 2022a. ...
... The geographical distribution of Capitata as a whole is circumglobal, from polar to tropical regions and from shallow to deep waters (Peña Cantero et al., 2013;Ronowicz et al., 2013;Montano et al., 2015a;Mastrototaro et al., 2016), with some species showing wide distributional ranges, and others only known from restricted localities (e.g. Maggioni et al., 2017Maggioni et al., , 2021Maggioni et al., , 2022bMiglietta et al., 2019). ...
Capitate hydrozoans are a morphologically and ecologically diverse hydrozoan suborder, currently including about 200 species. Being grouped in two clades, Corynida and Zancleida, these hydrozoans still show a number of taxonomic uncertainties at the species, genus and family levels. Many Capitata species established symbiotic relationships with other benthic organisms, including bryozoans, other cnidarians, molluscs and poriferans, as well as with planktonic dinoflagellates for mixotrophic relationships and with bacteria for thiotrophic ectosymbioses. Our study aimed at providing an updated and comprehensive phylogeny reconstruction of the suborder, at modelling the evolution of selected morphological and ecological characters, and at testing evolutionary relationships between the sym-biotic lifestyle and the other characters, by integrating taxonomic, ecological and evolutionary data. The phylogenetic hypotheses here presented shed light on the evolutionary relationships within Capitata, with most families and genera being recovered as monophyletic. The genus Zanclea and family Zancleidae, however, were divided into four divergent clades, requiring the establishment of the new genus Apatizanclea and the new combinations for species in Zanclea and Halocoryne genera. The ancestral state reconstructions revealed that symbiosis arose multiple times in the evolutionary history of the Capitata, and that homoplasy is a common phenomenon in the group. Correlations were found between the evolution of symbiosis and morphological characters, such as the perisarc. Overall, our results highlighted that the use of genetic data and a complete knowledge of the life cycles are strongly needed to disentangle taxo-nomic and systematic issues in capitate hydrozoans. Finally, the colonization of tropical habitat appears to have influenced the evolution of a symbiotic lifestyle, playing important roles in the evolution of the group.
... Radially symmetrical jellyfish are also known for the medusa of Paraeuphysilla taiwanensis Xu, Huang & Guo, 2011, which has four equally developed tentacles (Wang et al., 2011), as well as some species of Euphysa (Table S2: (Uchida, 1947), Euphysa flammea (Hartlaub, 1902), Euphysa japonica (Maas, 1909), Euphysa problematica Schuchert, 1996), and some species of Ectopleura, such as E. dumortierii (Van Beneden, 1844) and E. wrighti Petersen, 1979. Genus Euphysilla with radially symmetrical medusae was recently transferred from Corymorphidae to Sphaerocorynidae (Maggioni et al., 2021). The M. haeckelii jellyfish has 3-4 tentacles per bulb instead of only one long tentacle or one long tentacle and three reduced per medusa, something typically seen among Corymorpha medusae (Table S2). ...
Planktonic lifestyle of polyps in representatives of Margelopsidae are very different from all other species in the hydrozoan clade Aplanulata. Their evolutionary origin and phylogenetic position have been the subject of significant speculation. A recent molecular study based only on COI data placed Margelopsidae as a sister group to all Aplanulata, an unexpected result because margelopsid morphology suggests affiliation with Tubulariidae or Corymorphidae. Here we used multigene analyses, including nuclear (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA) and mitochondrial (16S rRNA and COI) markers of the hydroid stage of the margelopsid species Margelopsis haeckelii and the medusa stage of Margelopsis hartlaubii to resolve their phylogenetic position with respect to other hydrozoans. Our data provide strong evidence that M. haeckelii, the type species of Margelopsis, is a member of the family Corymorphidae. In contrast, M. hartlaubii is sister to Plotocnide borealis, a member of Boreohydridae. These results call into question the validity of the genus Margelopsis and the family Margelopsidae. The systematic position of M. haeckelii is discussed in light of the phylogeny of Corymorphidae.
... Hydrozoan species have often been described based on a single life stage, which has led to the development of parallel taxonomies with separate names for polyps and their respective medusae (Brooks, 1886;Cornelius, 1977). Many of these names are still in use, and the process of unifying these classification systems is far from finished (Schuchert, Hosia & Leclére, 2017;Maggioni et al., 2021). Even when the relationships between polyps and medusae are known, some stages have never been observed in nature and their morphology is described solely based on animals reared in laboratory and/or for juvenile or immature specimens (Russell, 1953;Bouillon et al., 2006). ...
Knowledge of life histories is crucial for understanding ecological and evolutionary
processes, but for many hydrozoan species only incomplete life cycles have been described due to challenges in linking hydromedusae with their polyp stages. Using a
combination of DNA barcoding, morphology, and ecological information, we describe for the first time the polyp stage of Halopsis ocellata Agassiz, 1865 and re-describe that of Mitrocomella polydiademata (Romanes, 1876). Campanulinid hydroids referable to Lafoeina tenuis Sars, 1874 and collected in the same biogeographic region as the type locality of this species are shown to be the polyp stage of these two mitrocomid hydromedusae. The nominal species L. tenuis thus is a species complex that includes the polyp stage of medusae belonging to at least two genera currently placed in a different family. Consistent morphological and ecological differences were found between the polyps linked to each of these two hydromedusae, but molecular results suggest that yet other species may have morphologically similar hydroids. Polyps morphologically identified to L. tenuis are therefore better referred to as Lafoeina tenuis-type until further associations are resolved, particularly when occurring outside of the area of distribution of H. ocellata and M. polydiademata. Molecular identification integrated with traditional taxonomy is confirmed as an effective approach to link inconspicuous stages of marine invertebrates with hitherto unknown life cycles, especially in often-overlooked taxa. Disentangling the relationships between L. tenuis, H. ocellata, and M. polydiademata lays the ground for future research aimed at resolving the taxonomy and systematics of the enigmatic families Mitrocomidae and
Campanulinidae.
... The majority of species are invertebrates, including 400 species of mollusks, 120 species of copepods, 15 species of amphipods, over 145 species of crabs and 48 species of shrimps (Convention on Biological Diversity). This census of species is subject to change as these species are often cryptic, morphologically very simple and difficult to study from a taxonomical point of view (Montano et al., 2015a,b;Maggioni et al., 2016Maggioni et al., , 2017aMaggioni et al., ,b, 2021. ...
The ocean plays a fundamental role in the human well-being and development. Therefore, it is vital to preserve and restore the marine ecosystem services that are being damage through climate change and anthropic activities, even more in countries such as the Maldives that has been classified under a high degree of exposure and vulnerability. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the problems facing coral reefs in the Maldives through relevant scientific insights; outline the importance of reef conservation in this area, given their ecosystem services; and briefly discuss policies and mitigation plans for reef conservation in the Maldives against anthropic activities and climate change, including potential funding sources and how best to engage with local communities and other stakeholders in this effort. This will help to achieve several SDGs.
... A hydroid identified as Sphaerocoryne bedoti was described and illustrated earlier from the Hawaiian archipelago (Calder 2010), based in part on a specimen from Midway Atoll examined again here (ROMIZ B3830). Recent comments on the species exist in that account, in Schuchert (2010), and in Maggioni et al. (2021). Of particular interest in the work of Maggioni et al. is discovery of species with hydroids much like those of S. bedoti, including Kudacoryne diaphana Maggioni, in Maggioni et al., 2021 from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and Maldives, Euphysilla pyramidata Kramp, 1955, an essentially circumglobal species, and Euphysilla sp. from the Caribbean Sea (Martinique and Panama). ...
... Recent comments on the species exist in that account, in Schuchert (2010), and in Maggioni et al. (2021). Of particular interest in the work of Maggioni et al. is discovery of species with hydroids much like those of S. bedoti, including Kudacoryne diaphana Maggioni, in Maggioni et al., 2021 from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and Maldives, Euphysilla pyramidata Kramp, 1955, an essentially circumglobal species, and Euphysilla sp. from the Caribbean Sea (Martinique and Panama). They noted that hydroids of S. bedoti were distinguishable in colouration (hypostome white or yellowish, with a bright red band below it; gastric cavity with broadest part transparent or yellowish, and whitish below) and in having medusa buds in large clusters. ...
Forty-two species of hydroids, excluding stylasterids, are reported in the present collection from the Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands. Of these, four are anthoathecates and 38 are leptothecates. Among the latter, Sertularella affinicostata
and Monotheca gibbosa are described as new species. The binomen Halopteris longibrachia is proposed as a new
replacement name for Plumularia polymorpha var. sibogae Billard, 1913, an invalid junior primary homonym of P.
sibogae Billard, 1911. Based largely on evidence from earlier molecular phylogenies, the genus Disertasia Neppi, 1917
is resurrected to accommodate species including Dynamena crisioides Lamouroux, 1824, Sertularia disticha Bosc, 1802,
and Sia. moluccana Pictet, 1893. Sertularella robusta Coughtrey, 1876 is an invalid junior primary homonym of Sla. gayi
var. robusta Allman, 1874a, and has been replaced here by the binomen Sla. quasiplana Trebilcock, 1928, originally
described as Sla. robusta var. quasiplana Trebilcock, 1928. Clytia hummelincki (Leloup, 1935) is referred to the synonymy
of its senior subjective synonym, C. brevithecata (Thornely, 1900). Following Reversal of Precedence provisions in
the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to preserve prevailing usage of binomena, the familiar names Sia.
disticha Bosc, 1802 (also known as Dynamena disticha) and Lytocarpia phyteuma (Stechow, 1919b) are designated
nomena protecta and assigned precedence over their virtually unknown senior synonyms Hydra quinternana Bosc, 1797
and Aglaophenia clavicula Whitelegge, 1899, respectively, names now reduced to the status of nomena oblita. Twenty
species are reported for the first time from Hawaii [Eudendrium merulum Watson, 1985, Phialellidae (undetermined),
Hebella sp., Hebellopsis scandens (Bale, 1888), H. sibogae Billard, 1942, Clytia brevithecata, C. linearis (Thornely,
1900), C. cf. noliformis (McCrady, 1859), Halecium sp., Sla. affinicostata, Sla. angulosa Bale, 1894, Pasya heterodonta
(Jarvis, 1922), Tridentata orthogonalis (Gibbons & Ryland, 1989), Pycnotheca producta (Bale, 1881), Monotheca
gibbosa, H. longibrachia, A. postdentata Billard, 1913, A. suensonii Jäderholm, 1896, A. whiteleggei Bale, 1888, and
L. flexuosa (Lamouroux, 1816)]. Sertularia orthogonalis, reported for only the third time worldwide, is assigned to
the genus Tridentata Stechow, 1920. Hydroids of the NOWRAMP 2002 collection consisted largely of presumptive
widespread species, with over 75% of them having been reported elsewhere in the tropical Indo-west Pacific region.
This work is a supplement of our previous study (Schuchert & Collins, 2021) on hydromedusae observed and collected during night-time dives in the Gulf Stream off Florida. Close-up photos and collection of selected specimens for DNA extraction and 16S barcode sequencing permitted us to distinguish 49 distinct morphotypes or species of hydromedusae. Eighteen of them are new additions to the ones reported in our 2021 paper. Seven potential species of the 49 were only identified to the genus level, one to the family level. Two new species are described: Zancleopsis grandis sp. nov. and Melicertum tropicalis sp. nov. 16S sequences permitted us to identify the previously unknown subadult medusa
of Podocoryna martinicana Galea & Ferry, 2013. Three species are new records for the Northwest Atlantic: Leuckartiara adnata Pagès, Gili & Bouillon, 1992, Corymorpha valdiviae (Vanhöffen, 1911), and Cnidocodon leopoldi Bouillon, 1978.
The 16S data indicated the potential presence of cryptic species in Thecocodium quadratum (Werner, 1965), Laodicea undulata (Forbes & Goodsir, 1853), Orchistoma pileus (Lesson, 1843), and Pseudaegina rhodina (Haeckel, 1879).
The Stylasteridae, commonly known as lace corals, is a family of colonial calcifying hydrozoans mostly inhabiting deep waters. Stylasterids show a cosmopolitan distribution but, in some areas, they are characterized by low species diversity, such as in the Red Sea, where only a shallow-water species has been reported so far. With this work, we provide the first evidence of a deep-sea stylasterid inhabiting the NEOM region in the northern Saudi Arabian Red Sea, at depths ranging between 166 and 492 m. Morphological examinations revealed that this species was previously unknown and belonging to the genus Stylaster. We, therefore, describe Stylaster tritoni sp. nov., representing the first record of the genus in the Red Sea. Lastly, the phylogenetic position of the species within the Stylasteridae was evaluated, revealing a close relationship with shallow-water Indo-Pacific and Western Atlantic Stylaster species and confirming the polyphyletic nature of the genus Stylaster.
