Leuckartiara spec.

Schuchert, Peter, 2018, DNA barcoding of some Pandeidae species (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Anthoathecata), Revue suisse de Zoologie 125 (1), pp. 101-127 : 123-124

Leuckartiara spec.

Fig. 17 A-C

Material examined: MHNG-INVE-78921, 1 of originally 2 specimens; USA, San Juan Island , Friday Harbor, 48.54514° -123.01206°, depth 0.5 m; collection date 22.05.2011; one medusa used to extract DNA , isolate 871; for GenBank numbers of sequences see Table 1 .

Diagnosis: Subadult Leuckartiara medusa up to 8 mm total height, with large pointed apical process of about 1/3 of total bell height, umbrella as wide as high. 4 perradial tentacles, 4 shorter interradial tentacles, 8 adradial small stumps or thin- and short tentacles. Tentacle bases not much laterally compressed, not clasping bell margin, without abaxial spurs, with red abaxial ocelli. Manubrium base and mouth cruciform, mouth margin with some folds. Gonad folds on manubrium in typical H-like arrangement, adradial folds directed perradially. Radial canals very broad, smooth, long mesenteries present (about 1/2 of manubrium height).

Remarks: These two medusae were obviously not fully developed and they could not positively be identified with any species described in Arai & Brinckmann-Voss (1980). Most probably it belongs to the species identified as L. nobilis Hartlaub, 1914 by Foerster (1924) and Arai & Brinckmann-Voss (1980). The latter authors report that their adults reached 22 mm in height. The younger specimens described by Foerster (1924) agreed with the current material. The 16S and COI sequences, however, did not match the Atlantic specimen of L. nobilis . The latter was described in Schuchert (2007), but it was also not fully mature. More Atlantic and Pacific specimens fitting the description of this rare species must be examined in order to get a clearer picture of its identity.

Figures

Fig. 17. Leuckartiara spec., living animal. (A) Whole medusa. (B) Bell margin with tentacle bases. (C) Details of manubrium with gonad folds (immature?).