Staurotheca glomulosa Peña Cantero, Svoboda & Vervoort, 1997

Peña Cantero, Álvaro L., 2021, Additions to knowledge of the biodiversity of benthic hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in the Balleny Islands (Antarctica), Zootaxa 4966 (3), pp. 321-336 : 327

Staurotheca glomulosa Peña Cantero, Svoboda & Vervoort, 1997

Staurotheca glomulosa — Peña Cantero & Vervoort, 2003: 2687–2689, fig. 9.

Material examined. E220B, a a mass of stems 20 mm in diameter ( NIWA 128457); TAN 0602/420, one colony 100 mm high, basibiont of P. belgicae ( NIWA 144240).

Measurements (in µm). Hydrotheca: abcauline wall 630–700, free part of adcauline wall 100–130, adnate part of adcauline wall 730–780, adcauline wall 830–910, diameter at aperture 230–270.

Remarks. The planar colonies are polysiphonic and the presence of anastomoses gives them a mesh-shaped appearance. The hydrothecae are arranged in decussate pairs, forming four longitudinal rows.

Ecology and distribution. Staurotheca glomulosa had been previously reported at depths between 55 and 157 m ( Peña Cantero & Vervoort 2003); present material collected at depths from 103 to 371 m. Basibiont for colonies of P. belgicae (present material).

Peña Cantero & Vervoort (2003) reported it off Buckle Island; present material found off Young and Sturge islands.