Bimeria corynopsis Vanhoffen 1910

• Main Author: Peña Cantero, Álvaro L.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2015
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Cnidaria; Hydrozoa; Anthoathecata; Bougainvilliidae; Bimeria; Bimeria corynopsis; Davis Sea
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5671788; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D10878AFF9BB44F10905F22FE5A3C8D

Bimeria corynopsis Vanhöffen, 1910 (Figs 1 A, 2A–B, 3A–B) Bimeria corynopsis Vanhöffen, 1910: 287 –288, fig. 12; Stepanjants, 1979: 12, pl. 1 fig. 5; Peña Cantero, 2014b: 1713 –1714, fig. 2a. Material examined. Gauss Deutschen Südpolar-Expedition 1901–1903: Syntype (ZMB Cni 7280), Gauss Station, 7.II.1903, 65°21'S – 86°06'E (Davis Sea), 385 m, a few stems, without gonophores, on Staurotheca noscripta . Description. Colonies with little-developed stems (Fig. 1 A), usually with single distal polyp (Fig. 2 B), but branched stems, with up to three polyps observed (Figs 1 A, 2A). Stem perisarc strong (Fig. 2 A, B), mostly annulated, continuing on hydranth body as a thin film. Polyps 550–600 µm high and c. 240 µm in maximum diameter. Polyps with conical hypostome and a crown of about 12 tentacles in apparently two closely set rows (Figs 2 A, B, 3A). Tentacle distal tips apparently with concentration of nematocysts giving them appearance of slightly capitate tentacles (Fig. 3 A). Gonosome unknown. Measurements (in µm). Cnidome : heteronemes [range 8.0–9.0 x 5.0–5.5, mean 8.7±0.4 x 5.1±0.2 (n=10); ratio, range 1.6–1.8, mean 1.7±0.1 (n=10)], desmonemes [range 4.5–5.0 x 3.0–3.5]. Remarks. Although I could not clearly identify the heteronemes (discharged capsules could not be observed) in the material examined, Peña Cantero (2014b) found them in material from the same area, confirming they are microbasic euryteles [range 8.5– 9 x 5–5.5, mean 8.9±0.2 x 5.1±0.2 (n=13); ratio, range 1.6–1.8, mean 1.8±0.1 (n=13)]. This is a very uncommon species, only found twice. Hirohito (1988) considered B. corynopsis a synonym of Bimeria vestita Wright, 1859, and Marques et al (2002) pointed to the possibility that both were conspecific, though acknowledging that the knobs in the tip of the tentacles of B. corynopsis are a distinctive character. Schuchert (2007: 250) also included the species in the synonym of B. vestita , although indicated that “the biogeographic differences argue also in favour of the two being separate species”. I ...