Staurotheca cornuta Peña Cantero, Garcia Carrascosa & Vervoort, 1999
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Family:  Sertulariidae ()
Max. size:  9 cm COLD (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 111 - 407 m
Distribution:  Antarctic Atlantic: Antarctica, South Orkney and South Shetland Island.
Diagnosis:  Colonies compact, consisting of a mass of anastomosed branches, up to 9 cm wide. Branching frequent, irregular and in several planes; branches mainly monosiphonic, but polysiphonic in some parts. Hydrothecae arranged in decussate verticils of three hydrothecae forming six longitudinal rows; occasionally, however, at the origin of branches decussate pairs may be present. Hydrothecal verticils closely packed. This, together with the strong perisarc development, gives the colony the aspect of a closely knit net. Hydrotecae immersed into branches for ca<> one-third or less of their volume. Adcauline hydrothecal wall with a short, but distinct free portion; abcauline wall almost straight or slightly concave. Hydrothecal aperture slightly tilted downwards; rim uneven with an abcauline elevation due to the greater length of the abcauline hydrothecal wall. Hydrothecal aperture frequently with renovations. Hydrothecal diaphragm mushroom-shaped, provided with two abcauline projections pointing into the hydrothecal lumen. Gonothecae absent.
Biology:  Species had been found from 111 to 407 m on bottoms of stones with pebbles or mud; found with gonothecae in January and other material from 300 to 396 m and is infertile. Also provides substratum at times for other hydroids (Ref. 7414).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 

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