Clathrozoon wilsoni Spencer, 1891

Watson, Jeanette E., 2018, Some Hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Great Australian Bight in the collection of the South Australian Museum, Zootaxa 4410 (1), pp. 1-34 : 1-2

Clathrozoon wilsoni Spencer, 1891

Clathrozoon wilsoni Spencer 1891: 123 , pl. 17, figs 1–2, pls 18–20.— Bale, 1894: 244.— Watson, 1982: 90, fig. 4.7d,e. pl. 8.4.— Watson, 2005: 503, fig. 38A.

Material examined. PIRSA Stns BBMP1c; B14; IB2; IBMP1; IBMP4c; IM4; IMP5; IMP5c; QMP2; QMP4; QMP5c.

Remarks. Branches and broken colony fragments. This species is so distinctive in its large size and woody texture of the colonies that no microslide preparations were made. It is redescribed and figured by Watson (2005).

The large number of fragmentary samples in the PIRSA collection could lead to the erroneous conclusion that it is a very abundant species. Although reasonably common in the depths trawled it is no more abundant in these depths and habitats than many other large southern hydroid species (Watson, pers. obs.). The reason for so many samples in the collection is due to brittle nature of the colonies which would fragment in the trawl.

Distribution. Southern Australia.