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Taxon
Symplectoscyphus rostratus Watson, 1973
Nomenclature
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Family: SertulariidaeGenus: Symplectoscyphus
SUMMARY
Hydrorhiza tubular, loosely adherent to substrate. Stems short, to 2 mm long, unbranched, bearing 1-3 hydrothecae, perisarc thick and brittle. Stem internodes twisted, inflated behind hydrotheca, proximal internode with 2-3 annulations; width of internode at base of hydrotheca 0.17-0.26 mm.
Hydrothecae alternate, occupying most of internode, directed towards front of stem, each succeeding internode arising behind base of preceding hydrotheca, directed outwards, giving stem a zig-zag appearance. Hydrotheca barrel-shaped, narrowing to margin, with 2-3 shallow annular ridges passing completely around mid-region of thecal wall. Depth of hydrotheca (from base to margin) 0.42-0.50 mm; 0.27-0.30 mm in diameter at widest part. Margin contracted, small, rim heavily thickened, with 3 teeth-1 blunt tooth in the central adcauline position, forming a raised beak-shaped crest; 2 blunt, low lateral teeth, flanking crest. Abcauline side of margin a shallow curve. Margin 0.12-0.16 mm in diameter, (lateral view), 0.10-0.13 mm high (adcauline embayment to crest). Aperture facing obliquely outwards, depressed into the distal ridge of the abcauline wall. Four internal submarginal teeth-2 adcauline, long, flanking marginal crest, projecting downwards into cell; 1, low and ledge-like (not well seen in anterior view) just below margin in the centre of the abcauline embayment, and 1, similar in shape, but smaller, deep in the adcauline side of thecal neck, directly opposite the abcauline submarginal tooth, seen only in lateral view. Hydranth with abcauline caecum, connected by a delicate web to the abcauline wall below the internal tooth.
Gonothecae large, ovate, 0.8 mm long, 0.6 mm wide, arising from a short pedicel below proximal hydrotheca, with 5 strong, crumpled annular ridges, and 3 low, fairly sharp apertural teeth.