Two new species of Hydromedusae from Queensland, Australia (Hydrozoa, Leptothecata)

By

Uribe-Palomino, Julian
Pausina, Sarah
Gershwin, Lisa-Ann

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

783

Pages

17-36

Subjects

Coastal ecology , endemic , gelatinous zooplankton , Great Barrier Reef , IMOS , Laodiceidae , Lovenellidae , Medusozoa , systematics , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.783.26862

 

Abstract

Two new species of small hydromedusae were found during routine monitoring in coastal waters of eastern Australia and are here described. The first,MelicertissaantrichardsoniUribe-Palomino & Gershwin,sp. n., from Moreton Bay, Queensland, is placed in its genus because of its possession of both cordyli and eight-fold symmetry. It differs from its congeners in two conspicuous features: firstly, having small, oval split gonads located adjacent to the base of the stomach, and secondly, in its extremely small size at maturity (2 mm bell diameter, compared to the next smallest species at 7 mm). Moreover, it possesses a unique combination of other characters. This species appears to be endemic to Moreton Bay. The second new species,ParaloveniayongalensisGershwin & Uribe-Palomino,sp. n., from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, is placed in its genus because of its two opposite normal tentacles and two opposite marginal clusters of cirri. It differs from its congeners primarily in a more rounded body than the others; the shape, length, and position of its short spindle-shaped, distal gonads; possession of subumbrellar nematocyst clusters; and possession of statocysts. These discoveries bring the total number ofMelicertissaspecies to eight and the total number ofParaloveniaspecies to three. The discovery of these two micromedusae underscores the need for further examination of the often-ignored minute and/or gelatinous fauna.