Wuvulidae, Peter, 2021

Schuchert, Peter & Collins, Richard, 2021, Hydromedusae observed during night dives in the Gulf Stream, Revue suisse de Zoologie 128 (2), pp. 237-356 : 294

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.35929/RSZ.0049

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5710626

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D0118A7C-5B36-002E-FC21-FC2EFB487F63

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Wuvulidae
status

fam. nov.

Wuvulidae View in CoL new family

Diagnosis: Medusa with more than four radial canals, sometimes partially ramified; tentacle bulbs and atentaculate bulbs with lateral sac-like appendages; large adaxial excretory papillae on marginal tentacular bulbs. Gonads on radial canals. No ocelli, no statocysts. Hydroid unknown.

Remarks: Bouillon et al. (1988b) when introducing the genus Wuvula included it in the family Laodiceidae based on the assertion that the appendages of the marginal bulbs resemble cordyli. Pendant cordyli (e.g. Fig. 29C View Fig ) are typical for the Laodiceidae , but they also occur in the Hebellidae . They occur mostly on the bell margin, but may also be placed on marginal bulbs. The hollow appendages in Wuvula ( Fig. 36F View Fig ) are clearly not cordyli and also their paired position on the side of bulbs is not known for cordyli in the Laodiceidae . The genus must thus be removed from the Laodiceidae . Wuvula lacks ocelli, statocysts, and cordyli and could be related to the Melicertidae Agassiz, 1862 which also lack them. The absence of statocysts and cordyli is, however, likely a plesiomorphy and not suitable for postulating a relationship. Moreover, the 16S data of W. ochracea did not indicate relationship to any group (results not shown, but see below).

We therefore propose that the genus is accommodated in a new family Wuvulidae . Its diagnosis is given above and taken from the genus diagnosis.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Cnidaria

Class

Hydrozoa

Order

Leptothecata

Family

Wuvulidae

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