Zancleopsis gotoi (Uchida, 1927)

Buecher, Emmanuelle, Goy, Jacqueline, J, Mark & Gibbons, 2005, Hydromedusae of the Agulhas Current, African Invertebrates 46, pp. 27-69 : 45

Zancleopsis gotoi (Uchida, 1927)

Cnidotiara gotoi: Uchida 1927: 204 , fig. 33; Kramp 1961: 98.

Zancleopsis gotoi: Kramp 1968: 39 , fig. 99.

Description: Single specimen. Bell-shaped umbrella, slightly taller than broad, with pronounced, solid apical projection; 5 mm in height. Exumbrella surface smooth. Mesoglea thick and rigid.Velum broad. Peripheral canal conspicuous; four relatively broad radial canals present, with smooth margin; no centripetal canals.With four perradial marginal tentacles, each arising from a conspicuous basal bulb at umbrella margin, bulbs swollen adaxially. Tentacles hollow, capitate, unbranched, alternating short and very short. Manubrium with broad based, flask-shaped, reaching to less than half depth of bell cavity; not connected to radial canals by mesenteries. Mouth simple, cruciform, without lips; without gastric peduncle. Without statocysts. With ocelli on bulb of marginal tentacles. Four smooth gonads; interradial, divided into eight adradial masses.

Material examined: H5027.

Comments: Of the five species that are considered to be valid by Bouillon and Boero (2000 b), only this has previously been recorded from the region. Species can generally be separated by the relative lengths, and their degree of branching, of the marginal tentacles, and the presence/absence of an apical projection. Ocelli may vary in distribution and number.

Distribution: Tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific, rare. Previously reported from west of Madagascar (Kramp 1965). Neritic.