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Taxon
Eudendrium novazealandiae Marktanner-Turneretscher, 1890
Nomenclature
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Family: EudendriidaeGenus: Eudendrium
SUMMARY
Stem branched irregularly in various planes, the main branches being fascicled almost to their tips, perisarc smooth and shining. The distal branches are roughly alternate, passing upwards at an acute angle, with up to eight indistinct proximal annulations and additional groups of annulations occurring at intervals along the distal branches; hydranth pedicels annulated throughout.
Hydranth large, with about 20 tentacles, a nematocyst ring on the lower body, hypostome elongate and clavate, maximum width below tentacles 0.3mm (preserved material).
Gonophores borne in groups of up to five scattered along a blastostyle devoid of tentacles. Eggs enclosed in a thick transparent pellicle.
Nematocysts of three sizes present:
(i) Microbasic euryteles (probably from tentacles), capsule 5-6 x 2-3 µm abundant in patches in pedicels of hydranths.
(ii) Large microbasic euryteles, capsule bean-shaped, 17 x 8 µm, abundant in pedicels of gonophores.
(iii) Microbasic euryteles, smaller than above, 11-1 3 x 5-6 µm, capsule bean-shaped. Present in the pedicel of the female gonophore and possibly on the gonophore itself.
Colour: Living colony cream coloured, stems dark brown proximally, becoming lighter distally.